Karnataka: Lokayukta raids 8 govt officials, assets worth Rs 9.5 crore unearthed

BENGALURU: The Lokayukta sleuths conducted simultaneous raids on the houses of eight government officials following allegations that they had amassed assets disproportionate to their known sources of income. Illegal assets to the tune of around Rs 9.5 crore were unearthed during the raids.

The raids began early on Thursday and were conducted in Bengaluru, Bagalkote, Belagavi, Kodagu, Mysuru and Ramanagar in 18 premises belonging to the accused government officials.

The officials who were booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act are A. N. Thyagaraja (Chief Engineer (Communication and Buildings), PWD, Bengaluru; Mallikarjuna R Nayanegali Asst. Engineer (Town Development Authority) Bagalkot; Nagaiah A Hirermath, Manager, Karnataka State Co-operative Marketing Federation Ltd, Cunningham Road, Bengaluru; Sidharth Bhupal Shingadi, Village Accountant, Hirekodi village, Chikkodi Taluk, Belagavi; Krishna Mahadevappa Karmadi, Account Superintendent (Ports & Inland Water Transport Department in PWD, Chikkodi, Belagavi; Balakrishna M, Range Forest Officer, Sampaje Range, Madikeri Taluk, Kodagu; K.N. Annegowda, Assistant. Director, Kannada and Culture Department, Mandya and G. Jagadeesh, Assistant Sub-Inspector of Police, Channapatna East Police Station, OOD Bidadi Police Station, Ramanagara.

Lokayukta police said that if an official’s assets were more than 30 per cent to their known sources of income, it will be considered as disproportionate assets. Some bank accounts and lockers are yet to be scrutinised.

Lokayukta police sources said that Thyagaraja was running a laboratory to test construction materials in Yashwantpur in the name of one his relatives. His wife and in-laws have been running the laboratory from many years. It was revealed that he possessed disproportionate assets of over Rs 3.95 crore. Meanwhile, it was found that ASI Jagadeesh had DA worth over Rs 1.14 crore. All the immovable properties were registered in his wife’s name and he had rented houses and commercial spaces. He was reportedly earning lakhs of rupees as rent, sources said.