A man in Karnataka, who had previously worked as a clerk at the Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited (KRIDL) in Koppal, is the owner of 24 houses, around 40 acres of land, and unaccounted assets worth ₹30 crore.
The man, reportedly identified as Kalakappa Nidagundi, has a monthly salary of only ₹15,000, but has properties worth crores in his name and in the name of his wife and brother.
The big fraud was exposed after a raid by the Karnataka Lokayukta officials as part of its crackdown on potential misuse of official positions, and amassing wealth more than the declared sources of income.
According to an NDTV report, the former clerk’s residence was raided by Lokayukta officials, who found out that Nidagundi owned assets worth ₹30 crore, which included 24 houses, four plots and 40 acres of farmland.
Besides, gold worth nearly ₹30 lakh (350 grams) and over 1.5 kg silver were also recovered, the publication reported.
According to an India Today report, the ex-clerk was also found to be owning two cars and two two-wheelers.
Nidagundi is accused of embezzling over ₹72 crore, with assistance from an ex-KRIDL engineer, ZM Chincholkar. The duo allegedly generated fake bills for 96 incomplete infrastructure projects.
The raids at Nidagundi’s residence is the latest in a series of such crackdown by Lokayukta officials to unearth disproportionate assets in Karnataka.
According to news agency ANI, the officers who came under investigation in disproportionate assets cases, included Jayanna R, Executive Engineer, National Highway Hassan Division in Hassan; K Omprakash, Senior Assistant Director of Horticulture, BDA, Bengaluru; N Venkatesh, Tax Accessor, Shettyhalli Sub-Division, BBMP, Bengaluru, Venkatesh G, Taluk Health Officer, Hiriyur Taluk, Chitradurga District and Anjaneya Murthy M, Junior Engineer, Rural Drinking Water and Sanitization Department, Gowribidanuru Tq, Chikkaballapur District.
As part of these raids, a team of Lokayukta officials, led by CPI Parashuram Kavatagi and supervised by Dy SP Pushpalatha and Officer PS Patil, has been examining documents, cash holdings, and property records.
