Bagalkote/Bengaluru: Lokayukta sleuths on Wednesday raided several targeted locations in various districts of the state in a disproportionate assets case.
During the Lokayukta raid, crores of rupees in cash, gold, silver, and documents were seized. Raids are also underway in Kodagu, Kushalanagar, KR Puram Bengaluru, Vijayanagara, Chikkaballapur, Tumakuru, Chikmagalur, Yadgiri, Belagavi, Ramanagara, and Kolar. During the raid, several lakhs of rupees were found in the houses of some government officials. Lokayukta officials raided the house of Agriculture Department joint director Chetana Patila and recovered star tortoises from the officer's house.
During document verification, lakhs of rupees in cash and two-star tortoises were found in his house. Sources said he kept a turtle in the house for many days. Even though keeping animals is prohibited under the Wild Life Protection Act, there have been allegations that he has violated the law as a government official.
A raid was conducted at the house of Krishna Shiruru, assistant director of Agriculture department of Bilagi town in Vidyagiri. Some important documents were found from the official's house. The raid was conducted by teams led by DSPs Shankar Ragi and Pushpalatha.
Apart from the houses of the officers, officials also raided the offices, interrogated the staff and checked the documents. Bagalkote and Bilagi offices of suspected officials were also raided.
Lokayukta officials raided the house of KR Puram Tehsildar on the allegation of illegal property acquisition. A team led by Lokayukta city division SP Ashok raided the house and office of Tehsildar Ajeet Raj Rai, who is accused of amassing illegal properties. Raids were conducted at the residences and offices in Sahakar Nagar and Ramamurthy Nagar. Ajith Rai, who worked with KR Puram Tehsildar, was suspended by the state government on the allegation that he had cooperated with Rajkaluwe encroachers and helped them get a restraining order from the high court.
