73-year-old former BBMP AEE gets 3-year jail, fined Rs 59.86 lakh in DA case
BENGALURU: A special court has sentenced a retired Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) of the then Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), V Venkatesh, 73, to three years simple imprisonment and ordered him to pay a fine of Rs 59.86 lakh, as charges of possessing disproportionate assets (DA) to his known sources of income and abusing his official position have been proved. Judge Nandeesha RP, Special Court for Lokayukta Cases, passed the order. Venkatesh was AEE of Uttarahalli Sub-Division of BBMP when action was initiated against him. He was appointed as assistant engineer in the Public Works Department (PWD) and later deputed to BBMP. The Lokayukta police registered a case against Venkatesh in 2012 under the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly possessing DA worth Rs 1.60 crore during the check period between August 1981 and 2012. Later, they raided the house, bank lockers and the office of the accused. Concluding that the DA of the accused is Rs 59.86 lakh, which is 24.90% of his known sources of income of Rs 2.40 crore, the court noted that the prosecution has proved the charges against the accused. The court noted that the accused did not provide any evidence to prove his lawful sources of income for the excess wealth possessed by him. Apart from that, he did not intimate the income said to be derived from the sale of a property owned by his wife, income from sericulture, etc., as per the Karnataka Civil Service (Conduct) Rules. Therefore, the prosecution proved that he could not comply with the requirement of known sources of income as provided under the explanation to Section 13(1)(e) of the PC Act.
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