18 March,2011 06:24 AM IST | | A Correspondent
File 104 cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act in 74 days, get hold of five corrupt officials who collectively amassed Rs 6.3 crore illegally
Thinking that the Lokayukta is lenient with corrupt officials and officers and has not been busy in the past few months, is far from true. The anti-corruption wing has created a new record by registering 104 cases under Prevention of Corruption in 74 days this year.
Those under the Lokayukta scanner include five officers from various districts who have amassed disproportionate wealth to the tune of Rs 6.3 cr. Among the corrupt officers BN Rajanna, AEE of Peenya sub-division was arrested earlier while pocketing a bribe of Rs 75,000 for an official favour.
Despite the Lokayukta filing a charge sheet against him, he managed to have his suspension revoked and continued his corrupt practices, said Lokayukta Justice, Santosh Hegde. He added that this only goes to show that corrupt officers have no fear in indulging in corrupt practices because of deterrent measures from the authority concerned.
Elaborating further, he said "Our officials have trapped another executive engineer, C R Bellary from Belgaum, while he was accepting a bribe of Rs 3 lakh a fortnight ago. Verification revealed that Bellary had already been arrested once under the Prevention of Corruption Act and had been charge sheeted. Instead of taking strict action, the department transferred him from Haveri district to a plum post in Belgaum.
Meet some of the most corrupt babus
BN Rajanna, AEE, BESCOM, Peenya Sub Division: Joined service on 31-3-1984 as junior engineer and his total salary and other income so far is Rs 95 lakh. Disproportionate wealth estimated to be around Rs 2.15 crore. Includes a house in Basaveshwara Nagar worth Rs 26 lakh, three-storey shopping complex in Rajajinagar worth Rs 45 lakh, another house in Nagarabhavi worth Rs 40 lakh, four sites and five acres of land in Nelamangala. Apart from gold and other valuables, Rajanna pays Rs 15 lakh as premium for his LIC policies every month.
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Ekambaresh Naik, Assistant Manager, Karnataka Warehouse Corporation:
Joined service in 1984 as grade-II warehouse manager and his salary and other income till date is estimated to be around Rs 45 lakh. However, his assets after the raids have been estimated to be around Rs 1.7 crore.
Kalyana Rao Patil, Godown Manager, Karnataka, Food and civil supplies, Bidar:
Joined service in 1988 as junior assistant with salary and other income amounting to approximately 47.5 lakh. However, his disproportionate wealth is estimated to be around Rs 94.7 lakh. Lokayukta officials have also seized hard cash of Rs 2.9 lakh from his house.
Hanumanthappa Ningappa Bajakkanavar, Chief Officer Patana Panchayath, Lakshmeshwar:
Joined service as second division assistant. His salary and other income so far has been estimated to be around Rs 39 lakh, but his disproportionate wealth is estimated to be Rs 62.4 lakh. Lokayukta found three acres of land and row houses in the name of his mother.
M Prakash, District Registrar, Raichur:
Joined service during 1980 as second division assistant and salary and other income estimated to be around Rs 52 lakh. Rs 87 lakh worth of disproportionate wealth, which includes four houses and 3 sites.
