TheLokayukta police on Tuesday conducted raids at 13 locations across Bengaluru in connection with an alleged ₹250-crore civil works scam carried out between 2019 and 2020 in and around the Rajarajeshwari Nagar (RR Nagar) constituency. The raids followed a complaint filed by former MP D K Suresh, who accused several civic officials of large-scale corruption in infrastructure projects.

According to officials, the raids were carried out after the Lokayukta obtained search warrants from the court. The investigation pertains to irregularities in road, drainage, and other civic works executed under the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), now renamed as the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA).

₹250-crore scam under Lokayukta lens

Superintendent of Police, Lokayukta City Wing, Shivaprakash Devaraj, confirmed that the raids were part of a probe under the Prevention of Corruption Act. “The complainant, D K Suresh, has named nine officials from the former BBMP in the FIR. Some of them have retired from service. They are accused of indulging in corruption while carrying out civil works related to roads, drainage, and public infrastructure in RR Nagar,” Devaraj said.

The Lokayukta teams searched the residences and offices of the accused officials, seizing several documents and records related to the contracts and financial transactions. “We will first examine the seized documents before deciding the next course of action. No arrests or detentions have been made so far,” he added.

Officials under investigation

The FIR lists nine officials from the BBMP (now GBA), including senior engineers and supervisory staff. They are:

  • Doddaiah, Chief Engineer, TVCC Cell
  • T V C C Satish, Assistant Executive Engineer, BBMP Headquarters
  • Vijay Kumar, Chief Engineer, RR Nagar Zone
  • Shilpa, Assistant Engineer, RR Nagar Zone
  • Mohan, Executive Engineer, RR Nagar Zone
  • Bharati, Additional Executive Engineer, RR Nagar Zone
  • Basavaraj, Executive and Additional Executive Engineer, RR Nagar Zone
  • Siddaramaiah, Assistant Engineer, RR Nagar Zone
  • Umesh, Assistant Executive Engineer, Laggere Sub-Division

The accused officials allegedly sanctioned and executed inflated bills for substandard works, resulting in losses running into several crores for the civic body. The complaint also alleges that tenders were manipulated and payments were cleared without proper field inspection or verification.

Documents seized, investigation ongoing

Lokayukta officers said they have collected files, project estimates, invoices, and contractor records from both BBMP and private premises. Preliminary examination suggests discrepancies in work completion certificates and possible collusion between engineers and contractors.

The investigation team will now conduct a detailed audit of the documents and cross-verify project execution data with on-ground conditions. If irregularities are confirmed, the officials could face charges under multiple sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as well as disciplinary proceedings by the civic administration.

Political angle and public concern

The complaint by D K Suresh, a senior Congress leader and brother of Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, has added a political dimension to the case. Sources said Suresh decided to move the Lokayukta after receiving multiple complaints from residents and contractors about corruption and poor-quality works in the RR Nagar area.

Residents in the locality had earlier raised concerns over frequent flooding, damaged roads, and incomplete drainage works, despite claims of full project completion by civic authorities.

The case is among several recent corruption probes launched by the Karnataka Lokayukta, which has been stepping up efforts to tackle financial irregularities in civic and infrastructure departments.

Next steps

Officials said the seized documents would be scrutinised to trace fund flows and establish accountability. The Lokayukta is expected to summon the accused officers for questioning in the coming days.

“The investigation is at an early stage. Once we verify the nature of discrepancies and identify monetary trails, further legal action will follow,” a senior officer said.

The raids mark a renewed push for transparency in civic administration and could potentially uncover systemic irregularities in public works across the city.