Bengaluru: According to sources, Enforcement Directorate (ED) has launched an investigation against the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), for allegedly misusing Rs. 108 crore allocated by the Union Government under the Swachh Bharat Mission.
The central agency has filed a complaint under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act of 2002 and written to the Urban Development Department, requesting an internal investigation along with all relevant documents.
The BBMP allegedly diverted about Rs. 92 crore of the Rs. 108 crore released between 2015 and 2018 to works that were not part of the sanctioned project. It appears that the funds were utilised to improve roads, footpaths, and drains.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) was the first to receive a complaint alleging grant misuse. It claimed that the money was diverted in collusion with elected representatives.
Mani Singh, joint director of the ED’s Bengaluru zone, requested a full report, including the names of officers engaged in the case, in a letter dated December 20, 2021, from Rakesh Singh, Additional Chief Secretary, Urban Development Department.
On December 30, 2021, the Additional Chief Secretary has written to BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta, urging him to share the relevant information as soon as possible. He also instructed Gupta to assign an officer to work with the ED.
