The Lokayukta police in Bengaluru on Tuesday raided 13 locations, including the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited (KRIDL) head offices, to find documents related to an alleged scam involving fake bills worth Rs 250 crore for infrastructure projects.
While these documents were initially thought to have been destroyed years ago at the erstwhile West Zonal Office of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), now operating as the GBA, some of the files recovered from the KRIDL and GBA head offices have provided the Lokayukta police with fresh leads to investigate the case.
According to a Lokayukta police officer, plans for infrastructure projects worth Rs 250 crore were prepared in 2019-20 and 2020-21 in six wards that fall under the Rajarajeshwari Nagar zone. Fake bills were allegedly submitted for road, footpath, and drainage works that were not executed.
“The officials then colluded with the contractors of their interest and got them the contract. However, no works were carried out, but fake bills were created to get the payment,” said the officer.
There are suspicions that politicians and government officials received kickbacks related to certain projects. During the investigation, it was revealed that officials from the Rajarajeshwari Nagar zone had destroyed files pertaining to projects worth Rs 250 crore. However, these files were also shared with the KRIDL and the GBA to obtain approval for the plans.
Nine officials, including some retired officials, were named in the FIR following a complaint lodged by former Congress MP D K Suresh. They held various positions, such as chief engineer, executive engineer, and assistant executive engineer, across different zones.
The GBA replaced the BBMP as the main civic body for Bengaluru in May this year. The alleged corruption pertains to work completed under the previous BBMP administration during the transition phase.