Pvt complaint filed against former Min before Lokayukta

A private complaint was filed before the Lokayukta today against former minister and BJP MLC B J Puttaswamy, his wife and two institutions, for allegedly misusing his official position as an MLC and defrauding public funds and amassing of wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income.

In his complaint, Devaraj Gowda, a city resident stated that during 1985-1996,when he was MLC and also Chairman of Slum Clearance Board, he allegedly "misused and abused" his position and availed loans from Karnataka State Finance Corporation and Karnataka State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited, represented by their Managing Directors, to the tune of Rs 2.20 crore for a company in which he and his wife Shanthamma are directors.

The firm became sick within two years, the complainant alleged.

A Loan amount of Rs 55 crore was allegedly outstanding against Puttaswamy and his wife due to their failure to make payment from the beginning of availing of loan, he stated.

Devaraj Gowda further charged Puttaswamy with having illegally acquired a revenue site in Kethamaranahalli in his wife's name on which he built a house and sold it for Rs six lakh in 1988 and purchasing a residential property in Malleshwaram in his wife's name in 1988 on which he invested over Rs 10 lakh and built a house in 1988-89.

Gowda also charged Puttaswamy with giving a "wrong declaration" before the IT authorities.

Charging Puttaswamy of "criminal misconduct under the PC Act", he alleged that the Puttaswamy in collusion with his wife had defrauded public funds under the guise of illegally availing loans from state finance institutions and also by diverting the said funds besides amassing disproportionate wealth.

The accused in the complaint besides Puttaswamy and his wife are KSFC and KSIIDC, represented by their respective Managing Directors.