JOIN USACP names 14 top babus in FIR
The names of several IAS, IRS, and IPS officers have been named in a First Information Report registered at the Saraswathipuram police station in Mysore. The complainant is Prakash Gowda A N, Assistant Commissioner of Police, KR sub-division, Mysore.
Tapas Kumar, Principal Secretary, Election Commission of India, Sudhakar Rao, retired chief secretary, Munish Moudgil, IAS, former Deputy Commissioner, Ramanagara district and now Managing Director, Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company, Aruna Prabha H S, Tahsildar of Channapatna Taluk, Ramanagara; Vidyashankar, IAS, former chief electoral officer, Ex-officio Principal Secretary to Government, DPAR (Elections), now working as Principal Secretary to Government (e-Governance, Bangalore City) are among those named in the FIR.
A K M Nayak, IAS, former principal secretary, State Home department; Suranjana C S, chief electoral officer and Ex-officio principal secretary, DPAR (elections), Bangalore City also find a mention in the FIR registered on Sunday. In all, the names of 14 government officials figure in the FIR.
Apart from a string of IPC sections –– 109, 116, 120B, 166,181, 196, 211, 217, 218, 417, etc, two cases –– under Information Technology Act, 2000 and Karnataka Police Act, 1963 have been lodged.
The offence
On April 22, 2009, during the general elections –– a house belonging to Dinesh on 2nd cross, Vivekananda Nagar, Channapatna, Ramanagar district, was raided. Though the house was locked, tremendous pressure was mounted on the complainant, who was working in the same jurisdiction and it was raided illegally. Higher officers forced him to write a false report that apart from the money, fake currency was found and seized.
Deccan Herald is in possession of the FIR copy and the seven-page complaint filed by Gowda. The officers named in the FIR were on election duty.
The police officer has explained in detail as to how his subordinates treated him when he went to register the complaint.
He has named Mutthegowda, the Sub-inspector of Police , Channapatna town, M H Khan, Inspector, T Siddappa, Deputy Superintendent of Police and S B Bisnahalli, Superintendent of Police.
Gowda told Deccan Herald: “Sources confirmed the information received that Dinesh, a close aide of Minister Yogeeshwara, had stored around Rs 30 lakh in his house. The then Deputy Commissioner, Munish Moudgil, in order to attract the Income-Tax officials, jacked up the amount to Rs 1.5 crore. But at the end of the day, Rs 17 lakh was seized.”
Background
Around 10 pm, Prakash Gowda got a fax with all the details (Dinesh’s house) that there was huge cash stacked, meant for distribution during elections. After three hours, Gowda brought it to the notice of the Deputy Commissioner (who is the supreme authority once the election code of conduct is in place).
Income Tax officers were waiting for the raid, but Gowda gave excuses, saying: “There is shortage of men and machinery.”
Later, with the help of another team, the raid was conducted. The team broke open the lock, entered the house and seized the materials. Meanwhile, a departmental enquiry was ordered.
Gowda said: “What to do, I am being targeted.” When coaxed further as to why, after two years, he had raked up the issue now, Gowda disconnected the call saying: “Please, give me some time and I will get back to you.”
List of officials
* Munish Moudgil, IAS: Former DC, Ramanagar district; Presently Gescom MD.
* Guru Prasad B L, IRS: DC, Income Tax (Intelligence), Bangalore.
* Nagaraj M, KAS (retired): Former sub-divisional magistrate and assistant commissioner Ramanagar sub division.
* Aruna Prabha H S, IAS: Tahsildar, Channapatna taluk.
* M N Vidya Shankar, IAS: Former chief electoral officer; Presently Principal Secretary, e-governance.
* Kulkarni B V: Former joint chief electoral officer, DPAR (elections); Presently additional commissioner for Education, Dharwad.
* Tapas Kumar, IAS: Principal Secretary, ECI, Nirvachan Sadan.
* Sudhakar Rao, IAS: Retired chief secretary of State.
* A K M Nayak, IAS: Former principal secretary, Home department.
* Suranjana C S: Chief Electoral Officer.
* Mutthe Gowda: PSI, Town police station, Channapatna.
* Khan M H: Circle Inspector, Channapatna town circle.
* Siddappa T: DySP, Channapatna sub division.
* Bisnahalli S B, IPS: SP, Ramanagara district.