BENGALURU: The Karnataka Lokayukta has unearthed unaccounted assets worth over ₹9 crore from IAS officer Vasanthi Amar, Special Deputy Commissioner at K-RIDE (Rail Infrastructure Development Company of Karnataka), following surprise raids at her residence in RT Nagar and five other locations across Bengaluru.
The anti-corruption raid, conducted in connection with an ongoing inquiry into alleged illegal land dealings, revealed possession of three residential sites, four houses, and three acres of agricultural land, cumulatively valued at ₹7.4 crore, along with ₹12 lakh worth of gold ornaments and ₹66,000 in cash.
Lokayukta sources also confirmed the seizure of several land documents and gift deeds from the officer’s residence, which are now under scrutiny. “We need to verify who gave the properties and their relationship with her,” a senior official stated. The properties and wealth are alleged to be disproportionate to her known sources of income, triggering further investigation.
FIR in Land Scam, Court Injunction Raises Eyebrows
The case against Vasanthi Amar intensified after the Karnataka government filed an FIR on July 15 at Halasur Gate Police Station, accusing her of issuing an illegal order in 2024 related to a 10.2-acre land parcel in Dasanapura hobli, located in North Bengaluru.
Interestingly, just days before the FIR was registered, Vasanthi obtained a court injunction barring media from publishing “unconfirmed” reports about her, drawing criticism from legal experts and activists over attempts to curtail press freedom.
Her role as Special Deputy Commissioner at K-RIDE, the nodal agency for Bengaluru’s suburban railway project, placed her in a key decision-making position, making these allegations particularly serious in the context of public land use and urban infrastructure.
Seven Other Government Officials Also Raided for Illicit Wealth
The Lokayukta’s operation was not limited to Vasanthi Amar alone. Raids were conducted on seven other government officials across Karnataka, uncovering significant assets suspected to be beyond their legitimate income. The officials include:
- Bagli Maruti, Assistant Director and former ministerial staff, Bengaluru – owns assets worth ₹6.34 crore
- HV Yarappa Reddy, BBMP Executive Engineer, CV Raman Nagar
- Manjunathaswamy M, Joint Director, Skill Development Department, Madikeri
- B Venkataramana, Office Assistant, Mysuru City Corporation
- Rajesh M, Assistant Executive Engineer, KIADB, Tumakuru
- Sunil Kumar, Executive Engineer, Health & Family Welfare, Kalaburagi
- Sheku Chavan, Assistant Director, District Industries Centre, Koppal
Each official is now under separate investigation by the Lokayukta under the Prevention of Corruption Act, with seizures including cash, documents, luxury assets, and real estate.
The ongoing crackdown signals the state’s resolve to root out corruption within bureaucracy, with more arrests and seizures expected in the coming weeks as forensic audits and property verification continue.