ED attaches assets of ex-Karnataka anti-graft chief

Bengaluru, Dec 9 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday attached Rs 5.3-crore worth assets of former Karnataka Lokayukta (anti-graft watchdog) Justice Y. Bhaskar Rao in a corruption case on him and his son.

"We have attached assets valued at Rs 5.3 crore belonging to Rao and his son Y. Ashwin Rao under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) 2002," the ED said in a statement here.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT), set up by the state government under public pressure in 2015, filed four charge-sheet on Ashwin and others under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860 and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

"During investigation under the PMLA provisions the ED sleuths attached assets worth Rs 6.2 crore earlier," said the statement.

The probe also found that Bhaskar Rao was in possession properties worth Rs 5.3-crore, amassed with criminal conspiracy, black mailing and extorting money from government officials in collusion with other co-accused.

"The accused projected the ill-gotten money and proceeds of crime as untainted and thereafter used it for buying many properties and placing huge amounts of funds in banks as FDs (Fixed Deposits).

The attached assets include six commercial and residential properties in prime locations across the city valued at Rs 2.6 crore and Rs 2.75-crore deposits in private and state-run banks in the state.

Rao resigned on December 8, 2015 five months after the watchdog's police charged his son (Ashwin) with asking and taking bribe from state officials and arrested him on July 27, 2015 in Hyderabad.

The state legislative assembly adopted an opposition's motion on November 28, 2015 for Rao's removal on the charges that he had "abetted" his son (Ashwin) from indulging in graft and did not act against some officials of the watchdog whom the SIT booked and arrested for resorting to extortion and blackmailing of scores of unnamed officials over the last couple of years.