Search on at homes, offices of 1 MCC, 2 MUDA officers, 1 Sub-Registrar

Mysore/Mysuru: Coordinated Lokayukta anti-corruption wing raids are underway in different locations across Karnataka against Government officials who have allegedly amassed assets disproportionate to their known sources of income. The raids began at 6 am by over 50 Lokayukta Officers and staff.

The raids are still underway at their residences, offices and private properties in Mysuru, Bengaluru, Tumakuru, Haveri and Bidar districts. The sleuths are verifying the documents of properties including movable assets, gold and cash and bank account details.

In Mysuru, the bungalow of Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) Superintending Engineer Mahesh at Kuvempunagar was raided by one team. His farmhouse was also raided.

Six teams with six persons in each team are searching for records and bank account details in Mysuru.

Simultaneously, two other teams of officers raided the bungalow owned by N. Mutha, the Chief Accounting Officer of Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA). His house is located at Basavanahalli in Vijayanagar Fourth Stage.

Another officer raided was Nagesh, MUDA Technical Assistant who owns a house at Dattagalli E&F Block. Reports are also coming in about the raids on the house of Nanjangud Sub-Registrar Shivashankaramurthy who owns a bungalow at Nivedithanagar in Mysuru. 

While undertaking searches at homes, the Lokayukta teams also raided the office sections and chambers at MCC, MUDA and Nanjangud Sub-Registrar’s Office and were scanning the records to retrieve more information about the assets.

Sources said that cases had been booked against the Officers based on the information provided by the public and FIRs were registered a month ago. Today’s raids were conducted after securing permission from the Court.

Mahesh, Mutha and Nagesh were holding key positions in the MCC and MUDA and there were allegations of corruption. They were booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 – Karnataka Lokayukta. While Mahesh played a crucial role in clearing of the bills at the MCC for all the development works undertaken by contractors at the civic body, Mutha has spent his entire career in MCC and MUDA. He was the Chief Accounting Officer of MUDA initially and was transferred to MCC. However, he was brought back to MUDA. Nagesh had served in the MUDA Zone-7 Office and he was appointed as MUDA Technical Assistant.

Reports also said that the raids were being conducted on the residence of KIADB officer Narasimhamurthy in Tumakuru district. In Haveri district, raids were underway at the residence of Nirmithi Kendra Engineer Vageesh Shettar at Ranebennur town and the office of Nirmithi Kendra, in the premises of DC’s office of Haveri city.

The residence of BESCOM Technical Director Ramesh at Basaveshwaranagar in Bengaluru has also been raided. The details of raids at another location were yet to come out.

Sources said that the Lokayukta sleuths have also conducted raids in Chitaguppa taluk of Bidar district.