BANGALORE: Lokayukta sleuths today conducted simulataneous searches on the offices and residences of three senior officials of Women and Child Directorate in Karnataka in connection with allegations of misappropriation of funds under the Integrated Child Development Scheme, police said.
The raids were conducted at the office and residential premises of Shamla Iqbal, former Director, Usha Patwari, Joint Director, Muniraju, Assistant Director, and offices of the Women and Child Development Department in 11 different places in Bangalore, Mysore Tumkur, Raichur and Bidar districts.
Besides, premises of Cristy Fried Gram Industries and anganwadi centers were also raided.
A case had been registered against the officials under section 13(1)(d) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988.
It was alleged that the officials had "misused" the funds amounting to Rs 600 crore per annum for the scheme meant for providing nutritional supplement to children, adolescent girls, preganant women and lactating mothers, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Lokayukta Satyanarayana Rao told reporters here.
During the seach conducted at the residence of Shamla Iqbal here, documents, property and valuables including 900 grams of gold, diamonds worth about Rs four lakh, about Rs one lakh worth platinum jewellery, bank deposits of Rs 65 lakh, a commercial complex at Church Street here, a house purchased for 60 lakh at HAL 3rd stage and a site in Arkavathy Layout, nine bank accounts (under scrutiny) were seized.
Valuables including 655 grams of gold, Rs 4.90 lakh cash, 10 kilograms of silver and 30 bank accounts (under scrutiny) were seized from the residence of Usha Patwari.
During the search conducted at Muniraju's residence here, 379 grams of gold, 750 grams of silver, Rs 1.70 lakh cash and documents pertaining to 50x80 site and a house in Mysore, another site in Vijayanagar sold last year for Rs 22 lakh, 15 acres in Malur in Kolar district were seized.