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Rs. 40 cr. scam in Bangalore Councils

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE JULY 5. Financial irregularities to the tune of Rs. 40 crores in the last three years were detected during the Lokayukta raids on Dasarahalli and Byatarayanapura city municipal councils on Thursday and Friday.

The Lokayukta sources told The Hindu that the alleged misappropriation of funds had taken place in the execution of civic works and purchase of streetlights, electrical equipment, pesticides, school uniforms, sewing machines and three-wheelers.

Even as the raids were on at Dasarahalli on Thursday afternoon, the CMC officials took some documents out of the office through the rear entrance and set them on fire, the sources said. When the Lokayukta, N.Venkatachala, questioned the CMC Commissioner, Govindaiah, about this, he said the documents were of no use. However, the Lokayukta police seized the half-burnt documents.

According to the sources, Dasarahalli and Byatarayanapura CMCs had purchased electrical equipment, high mast lights, sodium vapour lamps and other goods worth crores of rupees, "in violation of rules", from a dealer in Vijayanagar. Most of the vouchers pertaining to the payments made were "bogus". The Dasarahalli CMC allegedly purchased some of the electrical goods in violation of norms from a dealer in Nanjappa Layout.

In the last three years, the Dasarahalli CMC had spent Rs. 53.75 crores out of its budget of Rs. 67 crores. Large-scale embezzlement of funds had taken place in executing water supply and parthenium weeding out schemes, asphalting of roads, construction of drains, fixing street lights, preparing ward survey maps and purchasing school uniforms, three-wheelers for physically-challenged people and sewing machines for the poor SC/ST women, sources maintained.

In Byatarayanapura CMC, which had spent Rs. 62 crores in the last three years, financial irregularities were noticed in sinking of 180 bore wells, execution of civic works and distribution of 300 sites carved out of the BDA-acquired land among others, the sources said.

In the last three years, at least eight commissioners were posted to the Byatarayanapura CMC.

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