Karnataka CM's aide swindled Rs 460 crore, alleges ex-corporator

Bengaluru: Former Yediyur corporator N.R. Ramesh on Monday demanded a CID probe into the alleged misappropriation of Rs 460 crore by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s close aide Byrati Basavaraj.

Mr Ramesh alleged that though funds have to be released after the works are completed, money has been claimed even before they were completed. Roads in the constituency are in a bad shape as they have not been repaired in a long time, he said.

But Mr Basavaraj assured the release of Rs 460 crore for incomplete works. He got Rs123 crore released from the government to the Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Ltd and further the money was released to contractors, who are mostly his followers, he alleged.

Rs167 crore was released under Nagarothana, Rs 201 crore for development of 110 villages, Rs 6.21 crore and Rs 45 crore under the city development scheme. But most of the 2,949 works are incomplete.

“The KR Puram constituency has got grants of Rs 840 crore for the last three years. The constituency has got grants under Nagarothana, development of 110 villages, TMC and CMC grants, Union government grants. If the money was spent properly, it would have been a model constituency. “Unfortunately, despite sanctioning huge grants, the constituency has slipped to 25th position in the index of development,” he said.

K. Poornima, the KR Puram ward corporator, said that most of the roads are in a pathetic condition. “Mr. Basavaraj is not only against development but also scuttles the development work taken up by the local corporator,” she said.

Complaints have been filed with the Anti-Corruption Bureau, BMTF and Lokayukta against Mr Basavaraj, CEO of KRIDL Prakash, executive engineer, KRIDL, Mahadevapura N. Balasubramanyam, assistant executive engineer M. Shashidhar and BBMP executive engineer Ranganath.