Lokayukta raid reveals disproportionate assets worth crores

Ballari: A Lokayukta raid at the residence and office of fisheries department deputy director Shivanna brought to light alleged disproportionate assets worth several crores, officials said on Wednesday. The action follows more than 10 corruption complaints lodged against the official, who has reportedly been serving in the same position for nearly a decade. Acting on these inputs, Lokayukta officials conducted simultaneous searches on Tuesday at his residence on Hosapete Road, his office premises, and the govt vehicle assigned to him.The searches, which lasted close to 12 hours, revealed a significant volume of assets believed to be beyond his known sources of income, raising serious questions over possible misuse of office.According to Lokayukta SP Vasudevaram, preliminary findings suggest that Shivanna owns nearly 44 acres of agricultural land across various locations. In Ballari city, he possesses as many as 14 residential sites and three well-furnished houses. Officials also recovered Rs 8.5 lakh in cash from his residence, while bank deposits worth around Rs 20 lakh were identified.Apart from immovable assets, the Lokayukta team found about 600g of gold jewellery and three two-wheelers during the raids. The total value of assets is estimated to exceed his known sources of income by over 120%.Investigators suspect that a portion of the assets may have been acquired in the names of family members and close associates, pointing to a possible benami network. Properties linked to relatives and aides are now under scrutiny.Officials indicated that the total value of the seized assets is likely to rise as documents are verified and further searches continue. The Lokayukta is expected to expand the probe in the coming days based on the evidence gathered.