Karnataka Anti-Corruption Bureau (ABC) on Wednesday recovered cash worth approximately 13 lakhs, from a fake pipeline, during a raid at the residence of a Public Works Department officer, Shantha Gowda Biradar.
“A total Rs 54 lakhs in cash was found during the raid including Rs 13 lakhs recovered from one of the drainage pipes at the house of a PWD junior engineer,” said Superintendent, ACB, Mahesh Meghannanavar.
ACB officers on Wednesday conducted simultaneous raids in 60 locations across Karnataka against government officers on charges of disproportionate assets.
The raids are being conducted on the residences and offices of 15 government officers working in various departments.
According to sources in ACB, in the preliminary searches and findings, the officers have unearthed documents of huge assets disproportionate to their incomes.
The raids are conducted on executive engineers, RTO officers, revenue inspectors, project managers, joint directors, First Division Clerk (FDC), and a ‘D’ Group employee. These officers worked for the Revenue department, BBMP, agricultural department, and PWD as well. The raids are also being conducted on a physiotherapist of a government hospital.
Sources in ACB stated that Rajashekar, who worked as a physiotherapist at Yelahanka government hospital has purchased three BDA sites, 2 revenue sites, and also purchased five acres of land in Doddaballapur taluk near Bengaluru. The raids were conducted after ACB got complaints in this regard.
In the wake of multiple complaints on rampant corruption and accumulation of wealth disproportionate to their sources of income, the sleuths are raiding various locations in Bengaluru, Kalaburagi, Davanagere, Belagavi, Mangaluru districts.
The search team comprises more than 400 officers, including 8 Superintendent of Police, 100 officers, and 300 staff members.
(With inputs from agencies)