Lokayukta raids seven officials, unearth over Rs 7-cr

Bangalore, Jun 28: Lokayukta officials on Friday conducted simultaneous raids at houses and offices of seven government officials across the State, including a 1988 batch Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer, and unearthed assets disproportionate to their known source of income to the tune of over Rs. 7 crore.

The officials have also booked cases against the officials under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The officers raided are:?A C Keshavamurthy (IFS), Managing Director of Karnataka Soap and Detergents Factory Ltd; Irshad Ahmed Shamshoddin, Assistant Engineer, Mahanagara Palike, Belgaum; Haleshappa E, Assistant Engineer, Karnataka State Construction Corporation (presently on deputation to State Police Housing Corporation, Shimoga-Chikmagalur); Parameshwarappa V Vibhuti, Secretary, Hubli-Dharwad Urban Development Authority; Sharanabasappa, Assistant Executive Engineer, Afzalpur Taluk Panchayat, Gulbarga; Shivaputrappa Halacheri, Office Superintendent, Karnataka Housing Board Gulbarga and Subhash Chandra H Sharma, Junior Engineer, Taluk Panchayat, Yadgir.

The simultaneous raids were conducted on 23 premises on Friday morning. The officials seized disproportionate assets worth Rs 1.91 crore at the Sanjaynagar house and Yeshwantpur office of Keshavamurthy.

The IFS officer, who is the brother-in-law of former KPSC chairperson Gonal Bhimappa, and his family members own two houses in Sanjaynagar and Kalyannagar worth Rs one crore each. The officer also owns two flats, one in Nelamangala and other in National Games Village in Koramangala worth Rs 34 lakh each.

The immovable properties seized include two cars, 1.396 kg gold and cash in eight bank accounts worth Rs 1.47 crore, a senior official said. The raids were also conducted in Belgaum, Chikmagalur, Dharwad, Gulbarga, Tumkur and Yadgir.

The tainted officials

Irshad Ahmed Shamshoddin, Assistant Engineer, Mahanagara Palike, Belgaum: Immovable property (Rs 1.12 crore); movable property (Rs 63.79 lakh); disproportionate assets – Rs 1.37 crore.

n Haleshappa E, Assistant Engineer Karnataka State Construction Corporation (presently on deputation to State Police Housing Corporation, Shimoga-Chikmagalur) - Immovable property (Rs 89.12 lakh); movable property (Rs 14.72 lakh); disproportionate assets – Rs 63.84 lakh.
n Parameshwarappa V Vibhuti, Secretary Hubli-Dharwad Urban Development Authority - Immovable property (Rs 51.73 lakh); movable property (Rs 33.49 lakh); disproportionate assets – Rs 71.72 lakh.

n Sharanabasappa, Assistant Executive Engineer, Afzalpur Taluk Panchayat, Gulbarga - Immovable property (Rs 43 lakh); movable property (Rs 21.22 lakh); disproportionate assets – Rs 57.43 lakh.

n Shivaputrappa Halacheri, Office Superintendent Karnataka Housing Board, Gulbarga - Immovable property (Rs one crore); movable property (Rs 12.55 lakh); disproportionate assets – Rs 81.80 lakh.

n Subhash Chandra H Sharma, Junior Engineer Taluk Panchayat, Yadgir - Immovable property (Rs 53.45 lakh); movable property (Rs 38 lakh); disproportionate assets – Rs 73.32 lakh.