BENGALURU: The Lokayukta police carried out massive search operations across the state in connection with 15 disproportionate assets cases registered against 15 government officers on Wednesday.
A simultaneous search was conducted at the residences, offices and houses of relatives of the accused officers at 62 locations in Bengaluru city, Bangalore Rural, Ramanagara, Chikkaballapura, Chikkamagaluru, Madikeri, Tumakuru, Vijayapura, Bagalakot, Kalaburagi, Raichur, Belagavi, Kolar and Yadgiri.
11 places in Bengaluru
In Bengaluru, police searched 11 places related to Ajith Kumar Rai, tahsildar (Grade-2), Bengaluru East taluk, KR Puram, which led to the disclosure of properties worth approximately Rs 1.90 crore, including Rs 40 lakh in cash. However, documents related to several properties in the names of other people running into hundreds of acres of land were also found during the raids. Several luxury cars were also found. It is suspected to be benami properties of the accused, and the matter is under investigation.
Ramanagara Lokayukta police searched six places related to KH Ravi, who is working as joint director of the agriculture department in Tumakuru, and unearthed properties worth around Rs 4.27 crore, while the search at four places belonging to Gangadhar Y, planning manager at Nirmithi Kendra in Chikkamagaluru, led to the disclosure of assets worth Rs 3.75 crore.
Lokayukta police said while raids led to disclosure of assets worth over Rs 31.50 crore, cases against all 15 officers are still under investigation, and they are yet to ascertain the value of disproportionate assets amassed by the officials.