BENGALURU: The Lokayukta police on Wednesday raided properties of eight officials across the state, including IAS officer Dr Vasanti Amar BV, for allegedly possessing assets disproportionate to their known sources of income. This is the first time in a decade that the Lokayukta police raided an IAS officer. In 2015, a senior IAS officer was raided after the case was referred by the state government following a Criminal Investigation Department and the Income Tax Department unearthing massive amounts of cash and jewellery.
Vasanti Amar, Special Deputy Commissioner, Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Ltd (K-RIDE), Bengaluru, was allegedly found possessing disproportionate assets (DA) of Rs 9.02 crore. She had immovable assets of Rs 7.40 crore, comprising three sites, four houses, three acres of agricultural land and movable assets of Rs 1.62 crore, including Rs 66,390 cash, jewellery worth Rs 12 lakh, vehicles worth Rs 90 lakh and other articles worth Rs 60 lakh.
She was in the news recently after a KAS officer filed a complaint against her over an alleged illegal order passed by her regarding 10 acres and 20 guntas of land in Bengaluru North when she was Special Deputy Commissioner-3. The Lokayukta police searched 41 places of seven government officials and unearthed Rs 37.41 crore, including Rs 26.36 crore in immovable properties, cash of Rs 81.89 lakh and jewellery worth Rs 4.84 crore.
Of the seven officials, HV Yarappa Reddy, Executive Engineer, CV Raman Nagar Division, BBMP, was recently trapped by the Lokayukta police while allegedly accepting Rs 10 lakh bribe to clear a contractor’s bill. He was found with Rs 2.62 crore, which includes movable assets of Rs 1.16 crore and immovable assets of Rs 1.45 crore.
Bagli Maruti, Assistant Director, Department of Urban and Rural Planning, Bengaluru, was found with Rs 6.34 crore DA, including immovable assets of Rs 4.85 crore, comprising eight sites, five houses, 19 acres of farmland and movable assets of Rs 1.49 crore, with ornaments worth Rs 77.76 lakh and vehicles worth Rs 42 lakh.
Shekhu Chavhan, Deputy Director, District Industries Centre, Koppal, had DA of Rs 3.11 crore. He had movable assets of Rs 1.47 crore, including Rs 52.49 lakh in cash, and immovable assets of Rs 1.64 crore, comprising 13 sites, three houses and 7 acres and 27 guntas of farmland.
In Tumakuru, Rajesh M, Assistant Executive Engineer, KIADB, possessed Rs 3.67 crore DA, including immovable assets of Rs 2.10 crore -- three sites, two houses and 5 acres and 6 guntas of agricultural land and movable assets of Rs 1.57 crore -- Rs 48 lakh in bank balance, and ornaments worth Rs 85.04 lakh.
Venkatarama B, Mysuru City Corporation’s Office Assistant (Admin), AC Zone-5, had DA of Rs 3.71 crore, including movable assets worth Rs 1.15 crore and immovable assets worth Rs 2.56 crore. Sunil Kumar, Executive Engineer, Health and Family Welfare Department, Kalaburagi, had Rs 4.34 crore DA, including movable assets of Rs 2.44 crore and immovable assets of Rs 1.90 crore. Manjunathaswamy M, Joint Director (In-charge), Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Department, had DA of Rs 5.20 crore, including movable assets of Rs 75.31 lakh and immovable assets of 4.45 crore.