<p>Kolar: A day before the Kolar-Chikkaballapur District Central Cooperative (DCC) Bank Board elections, Lokayukta officials conducted simultaneous raids at nine locations on Tuesday, including the DCC Bank head office in Kolar, its Chintamani branch, and the residence of the bank’s former president Byalahalli M Govindagowda. Several documents and files were seized during the raid.</p><p>Voting for 12 director posts is scheduled for Wednesday (May 28) between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm at the Government First Grade College in Kolar. Govindagowda is contesting from the constituency reserved for other cooperative societies.</p><p>The raids stem from an ongoing investigation into the misuse of approximately Rs 11 crore related to a government loan waiver scheme during Govindagowda’s tenure as president, specifically at the Chintamani branch in Chikkaballapur district. Lokayukta officials had filed an FIR and obtained a search warrant from the court, as well as prior approval from the competent authority to proceed with the investigation.</p><p>Just three days back, Bengaluru Regional Commissioner and Administrative Officer for DCC Bank Amlan Aditya Biswas granted Lokayukta the permission to investigate the Govindagowda case. However, the timing of this move, just ahead of the elections, has raised eyebrows. The raids were led by Kolar district Lokayukta SP V Dhananjaya, and DySP Sudheendra, with over 15 officers involved. Sudheendra’s team inspected the DCC Bank headquarters, while Inspector Yashavanth led the search at Govindagowda’s residence in Byalahalli. Another team examined the Chintamani branch.</p><p>Records from 2016 to 2020 — including financial documents, applications, and order letters — were seized from the bank. However, no relevant documents were found at Govindagowda’s residence. The searches continued late into the night at both the head office and Chintamani branch. Two locations in Kolar and seven in Chintamani were searched in total.</p><p>Lokayukta officials had earlier sought permission to investigate the Govindagowda case from the Joint Registrar of Cooperative Societies (Bengaluru Division) but were denied. A second request was sent, emphasising the preliminary evidence presented in the complaint. This time, approval was granted, allowing the investigation to proceed.</p><p>The case has now become a focal point in the run-up to the DCC Bank elections.</p><p><strong>Let Lokayukta continue its probe: Govindagowda</strong></p><p>Reacting to the Lokayukta raids and the ongoing investigation, former DCC Bank president Byalahalli M Govindagowda stated: “The law will do its job. I don’t bother about who orchestrated this or why it was done. I’m not even in office anymore. Let the Lokayukta examine the documents and conduct their investigation.”</p><p>He further added: “With the DCC Bank elections around the corner, journalists should analyse why all of this is happening now. I won’t discuss or comment on that.”</p><p>This response comes amidst heightened political attention, as Govindagowda is contesting in the upcoming DCC Bank board elections while under the scanner for alleged irregularities during his previous tenure.</p><p><strong>Seven FIRs</strong></p><p>Former president of Kolar-Chikkaballapur DCC Bank, Byalahalli M Govindagowda, is facing serious allegations of financial misappropriation, with seven FIRs registered against him at various locations. However, he obtained interim stay orders from the High Court in all these cases. </p><p><strong>Faction of Cong itself pushed for probe</strong></p><p>It can mentioned here that A faction within the Congress party itself has been pushing for a probe into what they allege is large-scale corruption in the DCC Bank. </p><p>MLC M A Anil Kumar and Minister M C Sudhakar raised the issue during a session of the state legislature, calling for an investigation into alleged irregularities amounting to Rs 400 crore.</p><p>In a controversial remark, MLA Kotturu Manjunath went as far as to curse those involved in the scam, saying: “May those who looted the bank suffer from cancer, leprosy, or heart attacks.”</p><p>Amidst the mounting pressure, Cooperation Minister K N Rajanna visited Kolar and conducted a progress review of the DCC Bank, reprimanding several officials for lapses.</p><p>Meanwhile, another rival faction within the Congress party hit back, accusing some leaders of deliberately misleading the district in-charge minister and playing politics.</p><p><strong>Chintamani case background</strong></p><p>The Chintamani case revolves around allegations of large-scale financial fraud at the Chintamani branch of the District Central Cooperative (DCC) Bank during the 2017–2018 and 2018–2019 financial years, linked to the State Government’s short-term agricultural loan waiver scheme.</p><p>A case was filed at the Chintamani Rural Police Station after it was discovered that fake documents were created in the names of farmers, and around Rs 11 crore was fraudulently siphoned off.</p><p>The complaint was lodged by T S Pratap of Thalagavara village on June 26, 2024, alleging that the DCC Bank’s board of directors, instead of filing criminal cases, had colluded with those responsible for the loss, thereby causing financial damage to the bank. His complaint named the branch manager and others involved. Pratap later submitted a complaint to the Lokayukta as well. He alleged that benami self-help groups were created to take loans, and then used the bank’s capital for recovery, indicating misuse of funds and manipulation within the bank branch.</p>
<p>Kolar: A day before the Kolar-Chikkaballapur District Central Cooperative (DCC) Bank Board elections, Lokayukta officials conducted simultaneous raids at nine locations on Tuesday, including the DCC Bank head office in Kolar, its Chintamani branch, and the residence of the bank’s former president Byalahalli M Govindagowda. Several documents and files were seized during the raid.</p><p>Voting for 12 director posts is scheduled for Wednesday (May 28) between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm at the Government First Grade College in Kolar. Govindagowda is contesting from the constituency reserved for other cooperative societies.</p><p>The raids stem from an ongoing investigation into the misuse of approximately Rs 11 crore related to a government loan waiver scheme during Govindagowda’s tenure as president, specifically at the Chintamani branch in Chikkaballapur district. Lokayukta officials had filed an FIR and obtained a search warrant from the court, as well as prior approval from the competent authority to proceed with the investigation.</p><p>Just three days back, Bengaluru Regional Commissioner and Administrative Officer for DCC Bank Amlan Aditya Biswas granted Lokayukta the permission to investigate the Govindagowda case. However, the timing of this move, just ahead of the elections, has raised eyebrows. The raids were led by Kolar district Lokayukta SP V Dhananjaya, and DySP Sudheendra, with over 15 officers involved. Sudheendra’s team inspected the DCC Bank headquarters, while Inspector Yashavanth led the search at Govindagowda’s residence in Byalahalli. Another team examined the Chintamani branch.</p><p>Records from 2016 to 2020 — including financial documents, applications, and order letters — were seized from the bank. However, no relevant documents were found at Govindagowda’s residence. The searches continued late into the night at both the head office and Chintamani branch. Two locations in Kolar and seven in Chintamani were searched in total.</p><p>Lokayukta officials had earlier sought permission to investigate the Govindagowda case from the Joint Registrar of Cooperative Societies (Bengaluru Division) but were denied. A second request was sent, emphasising the preliminary evidence presented in the complaint. This time, approval was granted, allowing the investigation to proceed.</p><p>The case has now become a focal point in the run-up to the DCC Bank elections.</p><p><strong>Let Lokayukta continue its probe: Govindagowda</strong></p><p>Reacting to the Lokayukta raids and the ongoing investigation, former DCC Bank president Byalahalli M Govindagowda stated: “The law will do its job. I don’t bother about who orchestrated this or why it was done. I’m not even in office anymore. Let the Lokayukta examine the documents and conduct their investigation.”</p><p>He further added: “With the DCC Bank elections around the corner, journalists should analyse why all of this is happening now. I won’t discuss or comment on that.”</p><p>This response comes amidst heightened political attention, as Govindagowda is contesting in the upcoming DCC Bank board elections while under the scanner for alleged irregularities during his previous tenure.</p><p><strong>Seven FIRs</strong></p><p>Former president of Kolar-Chikkaballapur DCC Bank, Byalahalli M Govindagowda, is facing serious allegations of financial misappropriation, with seven FIRs registered against him at various locations. However, he obtained interim stay orders from the High Court in all these cases. </p><p><strong>Faction of Cong itself pushed for probe</strong></p><p>It can mentioned here that A faction within the Congress party itself has been pushing for a probe into what they allege is large-scale corruption in the DCC Bank. </p><p>MLC M A Anil Kumar and Minister M C Sudhakar raised the issue during a session of the state legislature, calling for an investigation into alleged irregularities amounting to Rs 400 crore.</p><p>In a controversial remark, MLA Kotturu Manjunath went as far as to curse those involved in the scam, saying: “May those who looted the bank suffer from cancer, leprosy, or heart attacks.”</p><p>Amidst the mounting pressure, Cooperation Minister K N Rajanna visited Kolar and conducted a progress review of the DCC Bank, reprimanding several officials for lapses.</p><p>Meanwhile, another rival faction within the Congress party hit back, accusing some leaders of deliberately misleading the district in-charge minister and playing politics.</p><p><strong>Chintamani case background</strong></p><p>The Chintamani case revolves around allegations of large-scale financial fraud at the Chintamani branch of the District Central Cooperative (DCC) Bank during the 2017–2018 and 2018–2019 financial years, linked to the State Government’s short-term agricultural loan waiver scheme.</p><p>A case was filed at the Chintamani Rural Police Station after it was discovered that fake documents were created in the names of farmers, and around Rs 11 crore was fraudulently siphoned off.</p><p>The complaint was lodged by T S Pratap of Thalagavara village on June 26, 2024, alleging that the DCC Bank’s board of directors, instead of filing criminal cases, had colluded with those responsible for the loss, thereby causing financial damage to the bank. His complaint named the branch manager and others involved. Pratap later submitted a complaint to the Lokayukta as well. He alleged that benami self-help groups were created to take loans, and then used the bank’s capital for recovery, indicating misuse of funds and manipulation within the bank branch.</p>
