Loka raid: Several assets of official found

Back to back lavish weddings, a residential house cum commercial complex, valuables including jewellery and gold biscuit and coin among several other movable and immovable properties have been unearthed following a Lokayukta raid on Mandya Assistant Director for Kannada and Culture, K N Anne Gowda.

Anne Gowda was about leave for his morning stroll, on Thursday, when the Lokayukta sleuths — led by SP Narayan Swamy — knocked on the door of his house near RMP Colony, at Kuvempunagar, in the city.

Sources told Deccan Herald, Gowda, who holds full charge at Mandya office, and additional charge at Chamarajanagar, had kept Rs 5 lakh in cash and 1.5 kg silver articles in a locker (65E) at Karnataka Bank, J P Nagar branch. The account was opened on February 6, 2010.

In another locker at Canara Bank, Kuvempunagar branch, he had stashed a gold coin and a biscuit, weighing 50 grams, along with 129 grams of jewellery — including ear rings, chains, etc.

At his house, the raid party found Rs 2 lakh in cash, a Santro car and a Volkswagen.
Interestingly, Gowda had arranged the reception of his engineer son, who entered into a wedlock with a civil service officer, at Hotel Lalith Mahal Palace on May 24. Earlier, the engagement ceremony was held at a star hotel here. A few months ago, Gowda had arranged the wedding ceremony of his daughter, a doctor, with a doctor groom in a lavish manner.

Gowda had converted his MIG house into a commercial complex named ‘A G Complex’, renting two shops to one party and a part of the other end to the ATM kiosk of a prominent bank on the ground floor. The first floor had been rented to a software company, that remains vacant now. He was living with his family in another portion on the ground floor.

Gowda had bought a six acre plot at Kuppegala in the year 2006 and a house in Bengaluru, which has been rented out.

With five years left in service, Gowda originally belongs to the Education department. He was deputed to the Kannada and Culture department and had served in Mysuru earlier.
The officials are expected to submit a final report on Monday.