ACB raids house, estate of ex-assembly secretary

The anti-corruption bureau on Friday conducted raids on the residence of former secretary of state legislative assembly Murthy S, who is presently under suspension from services after he was accused of misappropriating funds.

Officials found crores of rupees worth unaccounted for movable and immovable property during the raid.

Raids were conducted on his coffee estate in Kodagu and his house in Sadashivanagar and two flats in Shakti Apartment in HMT Colony and three houses in various places.

ACB sources said two acres at the aerospace high-tech park in KIADB industrial area has been sanctioned to his wife Poornima, but is yet to be registered in her name.

Murthy had purchased 12 acres coffee estate near Nidagundi in Kodagu just one-and-a-half year ago. Three cars, three bikes, 460 grams of gold and seven bank accounts and one locker were found during the raids.

It is suspected that Murthy has assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. In a couple of days his entire property and its source will be investigated.

Last year, Murthy was suspended from service after it was alleged that he had misappropriated funds amounting to Rs 10 crore during the legislature session in Belagavi. In July, his successor M K Vishalakshmi filed a complaint against him for not returning his seal and misusing it on the asset declaration documents.

He was booked under criminal breach of trust.