Lokayukta police raid officials across state over disproportionate assets

BENGALURU: The Lokayukta police on Tuesday raided several officials and individuals in different parts of the state over illegal assests and seized incriminating documents.

The Lokayukta officials raided the residence of District Training Centre official Ravindra Rotte at Gumpa and his office at Naubad in Bidar over allegations of illegal assets and were checking documents. Ravindra earlier worked as shirastedar at the Bidar DC’s office and at the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) in Bengaluru.

Lokayukta officials visited the residence of lawyer A H Keri in Bagalkot and questioned him as he is believed to have financial dealings with Talati Vitthala Dhawaleshwar of Belagavi who was also raided. Vitthala Dhawaleshwar is a village accountant at Boragaon in Nipani taluk. He had earlier been caught transporting huge amount of cash and more cash had been discovered at his rented house.

The Lokayukta police also raided the farmhouses of KIADB assisstant executive engineer Govindappa Bhajantri at Hooli and Ugaragol in Saudatti. Bhajantri is is posted at Dharwad. They also raided his residence at Gandhinagar in Dharwad, his son-in-law, his brother’s house at Nargund in Gadag district where they found some gold, cash and documents, and also his office at Lakamanahalli.

The Lokayukta police arrived at the residence of Commercial Tax assistant commissioner Venkatesh Mujumdar, who is posted in Bengaluru, at Sahyadri Nagar in Belagavi. But as no one was at home at that time, they stood waiting outside for some time. They later conducted a search at his home. Venkatesh visits his Belagavi home once a week.

Industries and Commerce assistant director Kamal Raj at Shakti Nagar in Davanagere was also raided. The Lokayukta police found that he owns three houses and three sites in Chitradurga, one house in Davanagere, a Toyota Innova car and one Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycle. Kamal Raj had secured a job on compassionate grounds.

Wads of cash were found under a matress in Kashinath Bhajantri’s house.

High drama prevailed at the Haveri residence of Kashinath Bhajantri, assistant engineer with the rural water supply department, after the Lokayukta police found Rs 14 lakh in cash. Bhajantri stuffed Rs 9 lakh in a bag, tied it up and threw it out of the window. Another Rs 2 lakh was stuffed under the mattress. The officials also found some gold and other documents and also checked his bank lockers.

The Lokayukta police also conducted searches at the house of Women and Child Development Department Deputy Director Srinivas Aladarti in Haveri.

At Srirangapatna in Mandya district, the Lokayukta police raided the residence of Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) zonal commissioner Nagesh. He had earlier worked as tahsildar in Srirangapatna. Lokatyukta officials also raided the residence of retired KSRTC divisional mechanical engineer Prakash at Dodderi village in Bengaluru South taluk of Ramanagara district. Prakash was working at the Ramanagara depot and had retired just a month ago.