Bangalore, Mar 18 (DC): The Lokayukta officials have raided the office and residences of five government officials and seized assets disproportionate to incomes, worth Rs 6.35 crore.
The accused officials are B.N. Rajanna, a Bescom engineer, Ekambaresh Naik, Assistant Manager of Karnataka Warehousing Corporation, Kalyana Rao Patil, godown manager of Food and Civil Supplies Department, Hanumanthappa Ningappa, Chief Officer of Laxmeshwara Panchayat, and Prakash, District Registrar, Raichur.
Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hedge said one of the accused, Mr Rajanna, was caught for graft last year. "The officer was caught in a trap case while accepting a bribe of Rs 85,000 in 2010 in Bengaluru. Despite several communications, officials caught while accepting bribe are also been reinstated", Justice Hegde said.
The officials who raided Mr Rajanna's house found that he owns a house and a commercial complex on West of Chord Road and Rjajainagar, respectively. The officials were yet to open a bank locker in Indian Overseas Bank. Police said he owns another house in his sister's name worth Rs 40 lakh in Nagarabhavi.
Ekambaresh Naik allegedly owns two poultry farms in his relatives' names and also a godown worth Rs 40 lakh in Mariyammanahalli. Having started out as a Grade-II warehouse manager, Mr Ekambaresh Naik has allegedly amassed wealth up to Rs 1.72 crore.
Kalyan Rao Patil owns a house worth Rs 22 lakh in Bidar and an apartment worth Rs 22 lakh. During the search, police found documents estimating the house value at Rs 50 lakh.
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