Disproportionate assets of four government staff impounded

The Lokayukta police conducted simultaneous searches on the premises of four government staff and impounded assets estimated to be worth Rs. 4 crore on Wednesday. The operation was conducted simultaneously in five districts — Davangere, Dharwad, Bijapur, Gulbarga and Mysore.

H.D. Mohan Kumar, a primary school teacher at Sathyagalakaval village in Periyapatna taluk of Mysore district, was found to have assets and expenditure of nearly Rs. 1.46 crore, according to Lokayukta officials. This was 291 per cent more than his known sources of income, estimated at Rs. 37.72 lakh. Mr. Kumar, who was appointed in 1998, owns multiple residential as well as commercial buildings in addition to more than 20 acres of prime agricultural land. He also owns a Toyota Innova, a Hyundai Santro, a Mahindra Jeep, two motorcycles, nearly half a kilo of gold, over a kilo of silver and cash. His present pay scale is in the Rs. 11,552 to Rs. 26,700 bracket.

H. Srinivasa, a Junior Engineer in the Urban Development Department, Davangere, who came under the Lokayukta net, has assets and expenditure of Rs. 56.58 lakh, which is 228 per cent more than his known sources of income. In the eight years that he has been in office, Mr. Srinivasa has purchased 11 residential plots, three houses and more than 10 acres of agricultural land.

Veerabhadra, an Assistant Executive Engineer at Gulbarga Electrical Supply Company, was found to be in possession of assets estimated to be worth Rs. 2.36 crore and his expenses totalled Rs. 45 lakh. His assets and expenditure were calculated to be disproportionate to his known sources of income by 135 per cent. Although Mr. Veerabhadra’s present salary is Rs. 29,920, he owns three housing plots, three shopping complexes as well as agricultural plots. He also owns six JCB earthmovers, a Mahindra Scorpio, a Tata Sumo as well as a Tata Hitachi Hydraulic Excavator in addition to cash and jewellery.

Shankarappa, Secretary and Chief Labour Welfare Officer at Gadag, owns nearly 20 acres of agricultural land as well as three houses and plots. While his present salary is in the bracket of Rs. 33,380 to Rs. 57,130, his assets and expenditure were valued at Rs. 1.83 crore, which were disproportionate to his known sources of income by 101 per cent.