Lokayukta raids 50 places of 10 officials, recovers ?48.55 crore

The Lokayukta police carried out extensive raids across the state, targeting 10 government officials suspected of amassing disproportionate assets, on Tuesday. The simultaneous raids, conducted at over 50 locations in Bengaluru, Koppal, Chitradurga, Channapatna, and other areas, led to the discovery of assets worth ?48.55 crore.

The raids, which included searches of residences, offices, and properties of the accused as well as their relatives, highlighted the widespread misuse of power among public officials.

“We found ?6.70 crore worth of property from M Lokesh Babu, superintendent engineer at BESCOM (Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited),” said Lokayukta IGP A Subramanyeshwara Rao. Other notable findings included ?1.85 crore assets from SG Suresh, revenue inspector at BBMP, Bengaluru; ?6.63 crore worth of property from Dr Sunil Kumar MC, district health officer for Bengaluru Rural; and ?2.21 crore worth of property from Krishnappa, tax inspector at BBMP, Bengaluru.

Additional discoveries included ?7.92 crore worth of property from Ekesh Babu K, deputy secretary, higher education department; ?12.53 crore from Nanjundaiah, deputy superintendent of police, Channapatna; ?2.01 crore from Lakshman Konerappa Karni, SDA, panchayat raj engineering division, Gadag; ?3.58 crore from Ramappa Pandu Jadhav, superintendent engineer, municipal corporation, Kalaburagi; ?1.61 crore from Ramesh B Agadi, excise inspector in Koppal; and ?3.50 crore worth of assets from S Suresh, assistant conservator of forests in Chitradurga.

“We have registered cases against the accused officials and are conducting further investigations into their financial affairs to trace the origins of their illicit wealth,” IGP Rao added.