Excise official raided by ED made benami investments in many bars and pubs across state

BENGALURU: Excise Additional Commissioner Y Manjunath, who was raided by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday, is believed to have made benami investments in hundreds of bars and pubs across the state.

The ED raid came on the back of a Lokayuktak police raid in connection with a disproportionate assets case. The central agency is now digging into the backgrounds of Excise department officers involved in corruption.

Manjunath has made investments in pubs and bars in the names of close aides. His investments are spread even in Bengaluru’s well-known pubs and is believed to have made benami investment in a pub owned by Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty.

Manjunath has even offered investment deals to upscale pubs for a share of profits while assuring them that they will face no trouble. There are also allegation that the establishment owners would be harassed if they did not agree.

Besides this, licences of hundreds of bars given to close aides and family members under benami names.Currently, the ED is investigating the irregularities.