The Bengaluru Anti-Corruption Bureau on Saturday conducted search operations at five residences belonging to Karnataka Administrative Service officer and administrator of the Information Technology and Biotechnology Department, Dr B Sudha. The ACB seized significant quantities of gold, Rs 10 lakh in cash, and an SUV in the raids. Dr B Sudha was formerly the Special Land Acquisition Officer with the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA). The ACB officials who raided her house in Bengaluru said that gold jewellery, and gold coins were found in her residence.
According to the investigating officers, Dr B Sudha amassed the bullion allegedly by accepting bribes while she was working in the BDA. The ACB alleged that Dr Sudha and her husband accepted bribes while settling various land acquisition deals via middlemen.
"We are inspecting her financials and prima facie we have reason to believe that she has more than Rs 1 crore of undisclosed income. The assets she has amassed include five bungalows, gold and unaccounted cash. This is obviously more than what her income can generate," an ACB official, who was part of the search operation said. The ACB, however, did not disclose the exact amount of gold found at her residence.
The ACB searched bungalows owned by her located in Bengaluru, Mysuru and Udupi. The bungalows searched were in Bengaluru's Kodihalli, Yelahanka's Shivanahalli Main Road and Byatarayanapura; in Mysuru’s Srirampura and another in Udupi's Hebri. Her office located in Shantinagar was also searched.
"We are going through her bank statements since 2015. The Lokayukta had raided her residences in 2015 too, when she was accused of corruption. We suspect that she accepted bribes for transfer of agricultural land for the purpose of constructing residential layouts in Bengaluru," the ACB official said.
The ACB has also seized several property documents from her possession. The investigators are looking into how she obtained the funds to buy properties worth crores of rupees in prime location in Bengaluru and Mangaluru.
The ACB has registered a case against Dr B Sudha under section 13(b) (if a public servant habitually accepts any valuable thing in any proceeding or business transaction) of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988.
Watch: ACB seizes unaccounted gold and cash from former BDA land acquisition officer's residence in Bengaluru