KIADB official flings cash, gold from 14-th floor as cops swoop down  

While one suitcase filled with cash was recovered as soon as he threw it out, there was a delay in recovering the second bag as it was stuck.
An ACB official recovering a bag containing cash and valuables from a duct at Mantri Greens apartment complex in Bengaluru on Friday;
An ACB official recovering a bag containing cash and valuables from a duct at Mantri Greens apartment complex in Bengaluru on Friday;

BENGALURU: Some early risers at Mantri Greens apartment complex in Malleswaram were taken in by surprise when they noticed some packets being hurled from one of the blocks on Friday morning. What unfolded hours later shocked many. Afraid of being caught red-handed in possession of unaccounted cash and gold during a raid, an official of Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) had flung it off his 14th-floor apartment. 

Early on Friday, two teams of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) raided the residences of T R Swamy, KIADB’s Chief Development Officer, and his sister, which are located in the ‘C’ Block of the apartment complex. While one team raided the 14th-floor residence (No. 1405) of Swamy, another team raided his sister’s apartment located on the 15th floor (No. 1504). 

Sources in the ACB said Swamy had thrown out two bags during the raid, but one got stuck between some ducts, leading to several speculations about the contents of the bag. It remained the centre of attraction till about 1.20 pm when it was finally removed by the officials.”

While one suitcase filled with cash was recovered as soon as he threw it out, there was a delay in recovering the second bag as it was stuck. The suitcase contained the highest amount of cash found during the raids,” the source said. In all, police found Rs 4.52 crore in cash, 1.6 kg of gold, documents pertaining to eight houses, 10 sites and 10 acres of agricultural land and three cars.  

According to sources, ACB had received a tip-off regarding a bribe accepted by the official following which the raidwas conducted. “Since the unaccounted cash was in crores, the raid was conducted before he could divert it elsewhere,”sources added.

According to neighbours of the two apartments, who did not wish to be named, they heard knocks on the doors around 4 am and only later realised that raids were being conducted. “We heard someone knocking on the door of the neighbouring apartment very early in the morning. We initially did not know what was going on. Our domestic help informed us about the raid, and the cash and gold being flung out of the window. We were surprised to learn that another apartment too was raided on the lower floor,” said a resident living in the 15th floor.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com