BENGALURU: A surprise visit by Upa Lokayukta Justice B Veerappa on May 26 has resulted in the transfer of 26 officials and suspension of four in Mandya district. Justice Veerappa had taken up suo motu cognisance of large-scale irregularities, maladministration and corruption in Mandya and registered 22 complaints against several officials.
Apart from registering cases for letting sewage from Srirangapatna to Cauvery river, which supplies drinking water to Bengaluru, for the last 200 years, Justice Veerappa also found accused officials receiving bribes through digital payment apps.
Maintaining improper records of hostels run by the Social Welfare Department, illegal running of bars and restaurants near Balamuri falls, failing to prevent pollution and encroachment of lakes, illegal mining, poor maintenance of hospitals, illegal allotment of sites by Mandya Urban Development Authority, etc., had come to Upa Lokayukta’s notice.
As a result, two PDOs -- Yogesh KC of Induvalu gram panchayat and Vishal Murthy HB, working at Mundugore GP -- have been suspended. An assistant executive engineer of Public Works Department has also been suspended. Assistant Director Ananya Manohar and Town Planner Sowmya, Urban and Country Planning Wing of Mandya, had allegedly continued to take bribes and were trapped by the Lokayukta police. They were sent to jail and released. As they were in prison for more than stipulated period, they were deemed suspended.
Lokayukta office sources confirmed the transfer of tahsildars of Maddur, Srirangapatna and Mandya, executive officers of taluk panchayats of Mandya and Pandavapura, assistant executive engineer of KR Pet division of PWD, deputy director and assistant director of Social Welfare Department, health officer of Maddur, child development planning officers of Srirangapatna, Maddur and Mandya, assistant director of horticulture, Srirangapatna, planning director of Mandya, chief officer of Maddur Town Municipal Council, assistant director of Land Records, Srirangapatna, chief medical officers of Nagamangala, Mandya, commissioner of Mandya Urban Development Authority, secretary, Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences, deputy range forest officer of Mandya, range forest officers of Pandavapura, Srirangapatna and assistant director of Backward Classes Welfare Department.
Justice Veerappa confirmed the transfers. “Even if they have been transferred or they sought transfers voluntarily, they can’t escape their liabilities as they have been made respondents in the complaints,” he added.