Lokayukta cracks down on Karnataka officials amid rising corruption allegations

Belagavi/Kalaburagi/Bengaluru: Karnataka Lokayukta officials launched a fresh wave of anti-corruption raids on Saturday targeting engineers and government officers accused of amassing disproportionate assets. The crackdown focused on Belagavi, Kalaburagi, and Ballari districts.

One key target was Ameen Mukthar, a Superintendent Engineer with the Public Works Department (PWD) in Ballari. His residence in Kalaburagi was raided in connection with alleged illegal asset accumulation.

This action follows a January 31 sweep in Belagavi, where raids were conducted at the homes and properties of Sachin Munded, Sub-Registrar of Anagol, and Sanjay Annappa Durgannavar, a Veterinary Inspector from Raibag Taluk. Properties in Anigol, Bellad Bagewadi, Harugeri, and nearby areas were searched under the leadership of Lokayukta SP Hanumantaraya. Both officers are accused of possessing wealth beyond their known income sources.

Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified investigations in the MUDA scam involving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The ED recently attached 142 immovable properties worth over ₹300 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). These assets, reportedly linked to real estate agents close to political circles, are suspected to be benami holdings.

The ED probe stems from a Lokayukta FIR and a Special Court’s directive to investigate CM Siddaramaiah and his wife BM Parvathi over alleged irregularities in MUDA’s allotment of 14 prime residential sites, valued at ₹56 crore, as compensation for land originally acquired for a mere ₹3.24 lakh.

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