In the early hours of Friday, 28 December, the Karnataka Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) raided the homes and offices of five bureaucrats at 17 locations across the state. According to officials with the ACB, based on various tips received from reliable sources, the bureau decided to raid the homes of the bureaucrats.
“We have reason to believe that they own assets disproportionate to their income,” a senior ACB official said.
ACB sleuths raided the homes and offices of R Sridhar, Additional Controller of the Belur Cooperative Bank.
The ACB sleuths also raided his cabin in the office of the Regulatory Authority of Co-operative Societies located on Ali Aksar Road in Bengaluru and his residence in Hassan. Assistant Director of the Planning Commission Besattappa, Additional Director of the Agriculture Department Hamsaveni’s home and office in Davangere, officer at the Mangaluru Government Teacher Training Centre’s D Manjunath and Assistant Engineer K Mani’s office in Mysuru and residences in Mooda and Hunsur were also raided.
Meanwhile in Davangere, a team of ACB sleuths headed by Deputy SP Parameshwar raided the residence and office of the Additional Director of the Agriculture Department – Hamsaveni. The sleuths also raided her husband ADN Kumar’s office. Kumar is currently serving as the Director of the Horticulture Department, ACB sleuths said.
“She owns a 75 x 40 ft piece of land in Hassan and has constructed a three-storey house there. She owns 15 acres of land in Harappanahalli, a Xylo SUV, five two-wheelers, 1 tractor and huge amounts of gold and silver, which we are yet to weigh. Her assets outweigh the income she generates.”ACB Officer
In Mangaluru, officials raided the office of the Manjunath at the training centre. Manjunath had earlier worked as a civic official with the Managaluru civic body and later obtained a job as a reader.
“He was a teacher in Udupi. The question is how did a person working as a reader in a training centre buy a flat in Manipal? We raided his house in Priyadarshini Apartments in Manipal and his other residence in Chikkamagaluru,” an ACB official said.
The ACB team headed by SP West Shruti also conducted raids on Manjunath’s residence in Shivamogga’s Chennagiri.
“It was not just tips we received from sources but many residents of Mangaluru, Udupi and Manipal complained about his corrupt activities,” the official added.
(This article was first published in The News Minute and has been republished with permission.)
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