Rs 2 Crore Cash Found in Bengaluru During Lokayukta Raids on Government Official

Karnataka Lokayukta sleuths seized over ₹2 crore in unaccounted cash while searching properties linked to a senior government engineer and associates in Bengaluru, raising fresh questions about disproportionate assets.

A major anti-corruption raid in Bengaluru has unearthed more than ₹2 crore in unaccounted cash from the premises linked to a government official, officials said. The seizure took place during early-morning searches conducted by the Karnataka Lokayukta police as part of an investigation into alleged disproportionate assets.

Cash and Assets Seized

Lokayukta teams carried out coordinated searches at multiple locations connected to HM Janardhan, a superintending engineer with the Karnataka Residential Educational Institutions Society (KREIS) and his close associates.

During the operation, officials found:

• Bundles of cash totalling about ₹1.7 crore at an apartment linked to an associate, Sujay Shetty
• Additional unaccounted cash from other premises connected to the official
• Counting machines and financial records seized for examination

Investigators are still tallying the total value of seized cash and checking whether other assets are also linked to the alleged disproportionate wealth.

Why the Raids Happened

The raids were launched after the Lokayukta received specific intelligence suggesting that the official and associates had amassed assets that were not commensurate with their known sources of income.

Disproportionate assets cases typically involve probing whether public servants have acquired wealth beyond what they could legitimately earn through salary and declared income.

Broader Pattern of Anti-Corruption Actions

This raid is part of a series of recent Lokayukta actions in Karnataka targeting alleged illegal wealth accumulation by public servants. In past operations, Lokayukta teams have uncovered assets and cash worth tens of crores from officials across departments during similar searches.

What Happens Next

The seized cash and financial documents will be studied to trace whether the funds were:

• Illegally acquired
• Shared among other persons
• Hidden to evade accountability

If evidence suggests corruption or misuse of office, the Lokayukta may file a formal case, leading to prosecution and potential trial under relevant anti-corruption laws.