Suspended Bengaluru civic official’s house raided by ACB, ‘incriminating docs’ found

The officials of Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) raided a house of a Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) official, who was caught taking a bribe in February, in Amruthnagar of Bengaluru on Tuesday. SN Devendrappa, now suspended, held the position of Assistant Director, Town Planning in BBMP and is under investigation for allegedly taking a bribe of over Rs 20 lakh. The ACB officers also raided the Halasuru residence of his close friend and probable aide Srinivasa Murthy.

The ACB officials told Deccan Herald that they found “incriminating” documents against the officer regarding the case and said that they are examining the documents seized. On February 5, the officer, Devendrappa, was reportedly caught red-handed taking a bribe of Rs 27.4 lakhs from a person for issuing the Occupancy Certificate to a brewery constructed by a private company in Hulimavu. Officials had found nearly 30 files in his vehicle relating to the case on the same day.

The ACB sleuths were recorded saying that they had recovered around Rs 26 lakh in cash, documents pertaining to bank deposits amounting to Rs 45 lakh, household items valued at Rs 10 lakh and 680 grams of silver articles. The team also found a document of a site in Kempegowda Layout, four four-wheelers and one two-wheeler.

Officials had earlier raided his house after he was caught taking the bribe, and they claimed that he had amassed assets disproportionate to his known income source. During the search, the ACB found expensive SUVs, fixed deposits, records of several bank accounts, 120 bottles of liquor and 430 files with seals of the chief and executive engineers and joint commissioner of BBMP.

ACB officials had informed the Excise Department to book him under appropriate sections for storing liquor beyond permissible limit. A probe was underway to ascertain why he had so many files and seals of senior officials.