BENGALURU: Pointing to the involvement of officials along with what it described as “invisible personalities of highhandedness” in the alleged misappropriation of crores of rupees meant for poor Scheduled Caste (SC) women and their self-help groups, the Special Court for Lokayukta Cases has refused anticipatory bail to eight officials of Dr B R Ambedkar Development Corporation, including a few retired officers.
Rejecting the bail petitions, Judge K M Radhakrishna said, "Since the recent past, the financial frauds and scams like the crime of this nature, with the fearless involvement of the corrupt public servants, the people's representatives, with the help of miscreants, are playing with the lives of the common people and burning the entire system. As a result, the corruption has become universal with no fear of the law. Indeed, the lawless atmosphere has become a real challenge to the welfare of society and a growing economy like ours. This needs to be curbed. Otherwise, there will be no end to this menace."
The petitioners include Vijay Kumar, retired district manager; Chandra K V, former district manager; Akshata, district manager and taluk development officer; Keshava Murthy, retired superintendent officer; Arun Kumar, Mahadevi Bai and Neelamma, taluk development officers; and Vijayalakshmi, retired taluk development officer -- all associated with Dr B R Ambedkar Development Corporation, Bengaluru district.
Denying the allegations, the petitioners contended that they have been exonerated by the disciplinary authority on June 19, 2025, based on an enquiry report dated January 17, 2025, submitted by a retired district judge. The inquiry followed a complaint by the same complainant to the managing director of the corporation.
Despite this, the same complainant filed a private complaint with the same allegations, but it was ended with the filing of 'B' report (closure), and the Lokayukta had also closed proceedings against four accused in relation to the same allegations.
Considering the arguments of the public prosecutor that a custodial interrogation of the accused was necessary, the special court said, "Prima facie, the material placed before the court reveals the acts of the petitioners in using the registration numbers of true self-help groups to divert the funds, in the names of fake self-help groups, so as to misappropriate the crores of rupees. Under these circumstances, the closure of previous complaints against the petitioners would assume no significance at this stage."
The court further observed that apart from the prima facie involvement of mediators, the role of “invisible personalities of highhandedness” in the crime was also emerging. The gravity and seriousness of the alleged offences and the manner in which the public funds appear to have been misused by way of corrupt activities is a matter which needs to be viewed seriously in the interest of the true beneficiaries, as well as the public at large, Judge K M Radhakrishna said.
Case history:
The Lokayukta police registered the case under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the IPC on a complaint by R Gururaj, a resident of R S Palya in the city. The complaint alleges that between 2020 and 2023, the accused conspired with mediators and others, fabricated documents in the names of fake women’s self-help groups, and diverted funds from welfare schemes meant for SC women’s self-help groups.