Police grill two suspended BBMP officers

BENGALURU: Two senior officers of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), who were suspended after their names cropped up in the voter data theft case, appeared before the Halasuru police after they were served notices. The officials are BBMP Admin Commissioner S Rangappa and Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner K Srinivas. The voter data theft was reported from three assembly constituencies -- Shivajinagar, Chickpete and Mahadevpura.

Earlier, K Srinivas had sought 10 days' time through his lawyer, citing health reasons but appeared before the police around 3.30 pm on Saturday. Rangappa appeared before the investigation officers in the morning.

Speaking to TNSE, a senior officer from Central Division Police said, “Both the suspended officers were asked questions related to the voters' data tampering case and fake Booth Level Officer (BLO) and Booth Level Committee cards. The officers could not answer convincingly and have asked for more time to reply.”

The officer further said that as the officers have not given any satisfactory reply during the investigation, both will have to come at least three more times whenever summoned.  The police are quizzing accused number 8 - Maruthi  Gowda, and accused number 9 - Abhishek. As many as 13 people have been arrested so far.

PALIKE MAY GIVE KEMPEGOWDA JAYANTHI A MISS
The embattled BBMP is unlikely to celebrate Kempegowda Jayanthi this time, as 70 of its officials have been served police notices and four to five officers suspended. Sources said officials are living in fear of getting arrested in the scam. Many related files have not yet been sent to the government for approval.

“Also, with BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath unwell, the process of clearing files has been hit,” said an officer from BBMP Administration Department. Girinath said since he was suffering from a urinary tract infection and was admitted to the hospital, he has not yet decided on the Kempegowda Jayanthi celebration plans.

Meanwhile, Kempegowda Institute of Science (KIMS) Vokkaliga Association president Balakrishna said that the association will once again appeal to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to give his nod for the celebration of Kempegowda Jayanthi at BBMP which has not been held since 2020.