Anti-corruption raid on Bengaluru gardener reveals 5 plots, 4 houses: Report

Karnataka anti-corruption bureau also raided engineers in the irrigation and public works departments, as well as employees of the rural development and panchayat raj departments.

Anti-corruption raids on a gardener employed by the Bengaluru development authority left officers shocked after it merged that Shivalingaiah had large stores of unaccounted cash, owned five high-profile parcels of land in the city and multiple houses, and also owned agricultural and commercial land in Ramanagara and Mysuru district that is reportedly worth several crores.

(Representational image)

Officials also seized high-end vehicles and other valuable items.

Overall, 510 grams in gold ornaments and 700 in silver, over an acre of agricultural land, four houses in Bengaluru, two motorcycles and three cars, ₹86,000 in cash, deposits worth ₹80,000 and household valuables worth a staggering ₹10 lakh were recovered, news agency ANI said.

Karnataka Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) sources told news agency PTI the raid was conducted on Friday - over 300 officials descended on 21 city employees across 80 locations. The operation was triggered over suspicion that each had amassed assets disproportionate to their incomes.

Those raided included engineers in the irrigation and public works departments, as well as employees of the rural development and panchayat raj departments.

Specifically, a police inspector, a district registrar (in the office of the Inspector-General of Registration), a road transport officer, a project director of the Nirmithi Kendra (a low-cost housing scheme), and an assistant comptroller in the veterinary department were among those raided.

With input from ANI, PTI