The State
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.
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:
Investigators are still tallying the total value of seized cash and checking whether other assets are also linked to the alleged disproportionate wealth.
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.
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.
The seized cash and financial documents will be studied to trace whether the funds were:
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.