Government officer in Karnataka acquires a fleet of 102 cars

In a major crackdown on corrupt Government officials, the sleuths of Lokayukta, the anti-corruption cell, have unearthed unaccounted assets worth Rs 200 million amassed by ten officials one of whom had acquired a fleet of 102 cars in just eleven years of service.

Briefing reporters after the simultaneous raids carried out by the Lokayukta sleuths across the state on Friday, Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde revealed that Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Tax in Bangalore Shivaprakash had amassed assets worth more Rs 45 million including the 102 cars estimated to cost around Rs 30 million.

But, Shivaprakash had registered his assets in the name of his spinster sister Jayalakshmamma, including Jaya Travels in Malleshwarama, which rents out all kinds of luxurious cars for family tours.

Officials said the cars are parked along the entire stretch of road at 17th Cross in Malleshwaram, which has been virtually converted into parking lot for the travel agency’s fleet of cars.

The Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Tax, who had joined service only 1997, had also amassed two houses, two Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) sites and a plush apartment in BTM layout in the City.

The other officials trapped by the Lokayuktha included IAS officer and Managing Director of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Development Corporation N K Baladeva Krishna, who had amassed wealth accounting for more than Rs 10 million, which was disproportionate to his known sources of income.

Similiarly, Superintendent of Police, Corps of Detective (CoD) Ramakrishna M has property worth Rs 35 million.

Like most corrupt Government officials, the Additional Director of Mining and Geology Qayyum Ali’s property is also in the name of his family members. He has amassed weath running into a whopping Rs 30 million.

The other officials from whom the Lokayukta ferreted out unaccounted assets include Joint Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Narasegowda, Assistant Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Amanulla Sharief, District Registrars Keshavamurthy and Mehboob Khan, besides Taluk Executive Officer H T Mahalingaiah and Executive Engineer of PWD C R Bellari.

“We will send a report seeking the suspension of the Government officials”, Santosh Hegde said.