ACB raid on 21 Karnataka officials

Following complaints of possessing assets disproportionate to income, searches are being carried out in 14 districts of Karnataka and cover officials in Public Works Department, Major and Minor Irrigation Departments, Transport Department, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Departments, among others

An outside view of one of B.G. Thimmaiah’s properties during the ACB raid | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) searched at 80 locations linked to 21 public servants across various departments in Karnataka on June 17. More than 300 officials of the ACB were involved in the searches in connection with complaints of possessing assets disproportionate to known sources of income.

The searches are being carried out in 14 districts of Karnataka and cover officials in Public Works Department, Major and Minor Irrigation Departments, Transport Department, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Departments, among others. In probably a first, two retired officials' residences are also being searched.

One of the officials is B.G. Thimmaiah, Second Divisional Assistant attached to Ajjampura Town Municipal Council in Chikkamagaluru district. The ACB police are searching his residence at Kadur and his father’s residence at Basur village in Kadur taluk, besides his office at Ajjampura. The police have found documents related to residential properties, commercial buildings, cash and jewellery during the search. The ACB team is led by DySP Sunil Kumar, Police Inspectors Vinayak Billava, Anil Rathod and Shyamasundar.

In Hassan, ACB police searched the house and other properties of Ramakrishna, Assistant Executive Engineer in the Minor Irrigation Department of Karnataka.

The police reached his house at Vidya Nagar early in the morning in connection with charges of possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. The officials searched two houses in Hassan and his brother’s residence at Hirisave in Channarayapatna taluk.

See what was found during ACB raids on officials in Karnataka in November 2021

See what was found during ACB raids on officials in Karnataka in November 2021

In Belagavi, B Y Pawar, superintending engineer, PWD, is one of the officers under scrutiny. ACB personnel are searching six locations, including his house at Jakkeri Honda, government quarters, and office. Another team is searching his home in Nippani, and a textile park said to be owned by him in Boragaon village.

At least 25 personnel are involved in the raids, said a senior officer at Belagavi ACB.