Karnataka: Lokayukta conducts raids on officials, engineers of various departments in Belagavi

Lokayukta on Saturday conducted raids on officials and engineers of various departments in Karnataka's Belagavi. Raids were conducted at the residence and other places of Superintendent Engineer Ameen Mukthar in Kalaburagi in connection to the disproportionate asset case.

Ameen Mukthar works as a Superintendent Engineer at the PWD Dept in Bellari.

Raids in 3 locations of Belagavi

This comes after an raid on January 31 that included Sub-Registrar of Anagol in the district Sachin Munded and veterinary doctor Sanjay Durgannanavar. Lokayukta Superintendent of Police Hanumantaraya-led team had raided in three locations, namely Anigol, Bellad Bagewadi and Harugeri. Raids were conducted at several properties from Raibag Taluk. Both officials were under investigation for allegedly possessing assets disproportionate to their known sources of income, reports said.

Manded was under scrutiny over allegations of illegal wealth accumulation. Likewise, Sanjay Annappa Durgannavar, a Veterinary Inspector with the Veterinary Department, was subjected to a raid at his residence in Raibag Taluk.

Lokayukta officials were examining documents at both residences in an effort to uncover evidence of corruption.

Following the Enforcement Directorate's action in the MUDA scam involving Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, State BJP President BY Vijayendra had hailed it as a “major victory”, stating that the ED investigation revealed "significant corruption" linked to the Chief Minister.

The ED attached 142 immovable properties worth ₹300 crore in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case involving Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and others.

The ED’s Bangalore Zonal Office carried out the attachment under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. According to the ED, the properties are registered under the names of various individuals operating as real estate businessmen and agents.

It had launched its investigation based on a First Information Report (FIR) filed by the Lokayukta Police in Mysuru, invoking various sections of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, against Siddaramaiah and others.

Additionally, a Special Court in Bengaluru directed the Karnataka Lokayukta to investigate Siddaramaiah over allegations of irregularities in the allotment of 14 sites valued at ₹56 crore to his wife, Parvathi, by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority.

According to reports, Siddaramaiah is accused of leveraging his political influence to secure compensation in the form of 14 sites in his wife BM Parvathi’s name, in exchange for three acres and 16 guntas of land acquired by MUDA. The land was originally acquired by MUDA for ₹3,24,700, while the compensation, 14 sites located in a prime locality, is estimated to be worth approximately ₹56 crore.