Bengaluru:Karnataka Lokayukta on Friday raided 54 places across the state, including residences of three government officials in Bengaluru city, in connection with disproportionate assets cases. Gold and silver items and lakhs of rupees in cash were seized from the house of an erring officer, officials said.
Residences of Bengaluru Deputy Controller of Legal Metrology Attar Ali, KIADB Land Acquisition Officer BV Raja and Bengaluru Commercial Tax Department Joint Commissioner Ramesh Kumar were searched by the Lokayukta officers this morning.
Bengaluru Lokayukta SP Dr K Vamshikrishna said, "During the raid, a total of 2.2 kg gold, 4 kg silver items, expensive watches, diamond necklace and Rs 25 lakh in cash were seized from the house of Deputy Controller Attar Ali. It was also noted that Ali threw a bag containing gold jewelery and money to the neighboring house evading the Lokayukta officials, who hearing the noise and seized the bag,'' SP said.
"The search operation was conducted based on information about the income and assets of these officials along with our internal investigations. The complete details will be available after the search and investigation is over", Lokayukta SP said.
Search operation was conducted in a total of 54 locations, including Bengaluru, Bengaluru Rural, Shivamogga, Tumakuru, Mysuru, Kollegala and Yadgiri.
Some of the officials who were raided by Lokayukta are:
CT Muddukumar, Chief Operating Officer in Invest Karnataka Forum in Bengaluru
Balwant Rathoda, Project Director in Yadgiri Zilla Panchayat
R Siddhappa, Senior Veterinarian of Primary Veterinary Centre in Rameshwar of Doddaballapur Taluk
K Narasimhamurthy, Municipal Commissioner in Hebbagodi CMC in Bengaluru