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Lokayukta searches 48 locations across Karnataka
The raids are being carried out based on information regarding officials allegedly involved in the accumulation of disproportionate assets
Bengaluru: The Karnataka lokayukta conducted a series of raids at 48 locations across the state on Thursday in connection with a disproportionate assets case, officials familiar with the development said.
The raids are being carried out based on information regarding officials allegedly involved in the accumulation of disproportionate assets, officials said.
The locations where the raids were conducted on Thursday included cities such as Bengaluru, Mysuru, Belagavi, Bidar, Dharwad, Kodagu, Madikeri, Tumakuru, Raichur, Davangere, and Chitradurga.
Among the raided locations, in Bengaluru, a search was executed at the residence of Nataraj, an incumbent revenue inspector within the BBMP’s Mahadevapura zone. Nataraj had previously been booked in a similar case on August 4, for allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹5 lakh for the issuance of “katha” documents for 79 residential units in Kodigehalli, near Kadugodi. Subsequently, another group of officers conducted a raid at his residence in Avalahalli.
Lokayukta officials also conducted raids against a former engineer affiliated with BBMP, at his residence in Davangere. Searches were also conducted at the homes and offices of Lakshmipathi, a gram panchayat member from Chikkajala, Shivaraju, a grade 2 tehsildar, and Bhuvanahalli Nagaraj, who serves as the CEO of Janaspandana in Tumakuru. These officials are suspected of being involved in disproportionate asset accumulation, leading to four First Information Reports (FIRs) by the Lokayukta police, an official in the know of the development said.
Officers are also conducting raids at the residence of additional SP Nanjunde Gowda in Madikeri city, Kodagu. The searches were also extended to the residence of his father-in-law in Makanahalli village, near Periyapatna town, as well as the homes of his relatives in Mysuru city.
The officials are also currently conducting searches at the residences of a district collector in Priyapattana within the Kodagu district and a revenue inspector belonging to the Mahadevapura division, whose residence is situated in the Banashankari area of Bengaluru.
Several locations in Mysore city and district have also been subject to raids. Additionally, officials are conducting a raid on the residence of the Harangi Reservoir Superintendent Engineer and carrying out an audit search.
Led by Lokayukta SP Suresh Babu, the raid commenced at 4 am. Another raid was conducted at the residence of Santhosh Anishettar, an assistant commissioner of the Belagavi City Corporation. Santhosh’s residence is located in Michigan Layout, Dharwad, and the officers were on the lookout for crucial documents. It is worth noting that Santhosh had previously worked at the Hubballi-Dharwad City Corporation.
These actions taken by the Lokayukta are a response to corruption charges levied against the aforementioned officials, who stand accused of allegedly accumulating disproportionate assets. Search operations are currently ongoing at various locations, and further information on the property recovered is awaited.
