Lokayukta raids net five officers

The officers whose residences were raided are S M Ramakrishna, Additional Chief Engineer, BWSSB, Bangalore, T Sriram, Executive Engineer, BWSSB, Bangalore, Ramalingaiah, Assistant Executive Engineer, PWD, Bangalore, Laxman Shivappa Goundi, Shirastedar, Food and Civil Supplies Department, Tahsildar office, Bagalkot and S Ramakrishnappa, Assistant Executive Engineer, Minor Irrigation sub division, Shimoga.

Addressing a press conference, Lokayukta ADGP Jeevankumar Gaonkar said Ramakrishna’s assets included two houses in Bangalore, three residential sites in J P Nagar, HBR Layout and Magadi Road, two vehicles, investment in bonds and mutual funds worth Rs 13 lakh, Rs two lakh, 200 gram gold and four kg silver. The police are yet to open and inspect his bank locker. Ramakrishna’s income from all known sources was Rs 70 lakh, while the worth of properties recovered was Rs 1.25 crore and percentage of disproportionate assets 78.5 per cent, Gaonkar said.

Sriram’s assets include a house at Basaveshwarnagar, two houses on West of Chord Road, one at Jarkarkal Bande Kaval and a flat in Whitefield area (worth around Rs one crore), eight residential sites worth Rs four lakh, investment in bonds and mutual funds, 10 guntas of agricultural land at Kunigal, a car and two two-wheelers.

Disproportionate assets

During the search, the police found 30 gram platinum, 186 gram gold, 935 gram silver, a bank balance of Rs 42 lakh and Rs four lakh. Sriram’s income from all known sources was Rs 63.24 lakh, while the worth of properties recovered was Rs 2.17 crore and percentage of disproportionate assets was 243 per cent, the ADGP stated.

Ramalingaiah’s assets included two houses in Vijayanagar and Padmanabhanagar, two sites at Kengeri Industrial Town and Mallathalli, two cars and a two-wheeler. The police found 200 gram gold, 1.7 kg silver, Rs 1.08 lakh and documents related to four bank lockers (to be opened) during the search. Ramalingaiah’s income from all known sources was Rs 32 lakh, while the worth of properties recovered was Rs 1.17 crore and percentage of disproportionate assets was 134 per cent, he added.

Shivappa Goundi’s assets included a house and an outhouse at Gaddanakeri Cross, Bagalkot, one house at Golbhavi village in his wife’s name, 10-acre irrigated land, three cars, four two-wheelers and a JCB (crane). During the raids, the sleuths found 533 gram gold, 1,329 gram silver and Rs 20,000. Goundi’s income from all known sources was Rs 34 lakh, while the worth of properties recovered was Rs 1.19 crore and percentage of disproportionate assets was 250 per cent, Gaonkar added.

Documents seized

In Ramakrishnappa’s residence in Shimoga, the sleuths seized documents related to: 10 acres of irrigated land, one house and two farmhouses at Bhadravathi, five sites of different dimensions, two cars and three two-wheelers. During the search, the sleuths found 2.5 kg gold, 5.5 kg silver and Rs three lakh cash. Ramakrishnappa’s income from all known sources was Rs 45 lakh, while the worth of properties recovered was Rs 1.26 crore and percentage of disproportionate assets was 177.30 per cent, he added.

The ADGP said the number of traps from August till date was 60. Of the 157 cases till date this year, 65 accused government officers were convicted, while 88 were acquitted. The percentage of conviction was 41.40 per cent. In September alone, the number of convictions was seven. The cases pertaining to convictions date back to four to five years, he added.