Lokayukta Raids Uncover Alleged Illegal Property Acquisition Across Karnataka.
On March 27, Lokayukta officials conducted extensive raids on the residences of numerous state officials from various departments over allegations of illegal property acquisition. Additionally, a PDO officer has been taken into custody in connection with the investigations.
Allegations of illicit property acquisition surfaced against 13 government officials serving in diverse departments, prompting the coordinated raids. A total of 130 officers, including 13 SPs, 12 DySPs, 25 PIs, and 80 personnel, simultaneously raided 60 locations statewide upon receiving reports of assets allegedly exceeding known income sources. During the operations, authorities seized gold, silver, and cash valued at lakhs of rupees.
The raids extended across 13 districts, including Bangalore, Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Mysore, Kodagu, Dharwad, and Belgaum, with inspections also conducted in Vijayapur. Notably, the residence and office of BBMP engineer Ranganath in Bangalore were among the locations searched, with five premises linked to him targeted in the raids.
In Bidadi, Ramnagar taluk, Yatish Chandra, PDO of Manchanayakanahalli Gram Panchayat, was implicated in extensive business dealings amounting to crores of rupees over recent years. Authorities discovered the ongoing construction of a lavish residence in Mysore, registered in his wife’s name, along with two other upscale properties owned by him. Chandra was subsequently apprehended at Eagleton Resort, with raids conducted simultaneously at seven of his associated locations.
The crackdown further encompassed Bidar, where the house and office of Sivakumar Swamy, Executive Engineer of the Sewerage Department, came under scrutiny. Likewise, properties belonging to Prakash R., AEE of Urban Development Authority in Karwar, Uttara Kannada, and several other officials across districts including Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Udupi, Kodagu, Dharwad, and Belgaum were targeted for investigation.
Led by Lokayukta SP Anthony John Margadarshan under the guidance of Lokayukta DySP MN Olekara, these raids underscore the authorities’ commitment to combating corruption and ensuring accountability among public officials across the state.
