The Enforcement Directorate (ED) launched a raid at the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) head office on Tuesday, intensifying its inquiry into suspected corruption involving borewells and reverse osmosis (RO) water systems.
According to an Indian Express report, the investigation stems from allegations first raised in 2019 by former BJP councillor N R Ramesh, who had filed a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Bureau.
The ED later recorded his statement in 2022. According to Ramesh, he submitted detailed evidence, including a 40-page report, outlining irregularities in the project, the report added.
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What is the controversy all about?
The controversy revolves around a project initiated in 2016, when ₹970 crore was allocated for drilling borewells and installing RO systems to improve water access in Bengaluru. The BBMP claimed it had completed over 8,400 borewells and set up nearly 700 RO plants in 66 wards across Bommanahalli, Dasarahalli, Mahadevapura, RR Nagar, and Yelahanka.
However, Ramesh alleged that only a fraction of the work, around 20 per cent, was actually done, while the rest existed only on paper, the report further added. He accused BBMP officials and contractors of falsifying documents to siphon off more than ₹400 crore.
{{/usCountry}}However, Ramesh alleged that only a fraction of the work, around 20 per cent, was actually done, while the rest existed only on paper, the report further added. He accused BBMP officials and contractors of falsifying documents to siphon off more than ₹400 crore.
{{/usCountry}}(Also Read: Bengaluru civic body’s ₹9.5 crore tunnel project report completed in three months but filled with copy-paste errors)
As reported by the publication, ED officials scrutinized documents at the office of BBMP Engineer-in-Chief B S Prahlad during the raid and requested additional records from zonal offices.
BBMP staff across various zones have reportedly been cooperating with the probe.
The ED’s investigation is expected to span three days as it examines financial records and other evidence linked to the alleged misappropriation of funds.
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On the other hand, BBMP is also facing criticism after a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for an ambitious ₹9.5 crore underground tunnel project was found to contain several glaring errors.