BENGALURU: While it is certain that ‘Santro’ Ravi operated from rooms in Kumara Krupa guesthouse, right under the nose of the government, questions are being raised as to who booked him in almost on permanent basis. TNIE found that Ravi’s bookings were routed through a KSTDC officer, ‘Devaraj Sir’. The officer has since been transferred out of KSTDC, but has ensured that Ravi lives in the guesthouse for almost the entire year.
This violates the rules, which mandate that a person cannot stay beyond five days, and to continue on the sixth day, will need special permission or a rebooking. Former CM H D Kumaraswamy said Devaraj was placed directly under an officer of the rank of joint secretary in the government, who was holding charge of KSTDC. Government sources explained that private parties pay Rs 1,500 per head per day, while state government officers pay Rs 400, while MLAs and Central officials pay Rs 600.
Santro Ravi, a private person, was allocated a room through a network handled by Devaraj. Sources said even when a guest is occupying a room, a break is shown to satisfy official requirements. Ravi was not the only one who had made Kumara Krupa his home.
It is said many ‘wheeler-dealers’ live undisturbed in the guesthouse, built as a massive 180-room facility. “Santro Ravi was not the only one, but just one of the network of fixers,” sources said. A source said ministers and bureaucrats operate through this network, of which Santro Ravi is just a part.