Raids on NWKRTC Officials: Lokayukta Unearthed Crores in Assets Across Karnataka

Anti-corruption sleuths conducted a massive, coordinated sweep today, uncovering hidden cash and real estate wealth linked to senior government engineers.

The morning calm in Davanagere’s Anjaneya Layout was shattered early today as Lokayukta officials descended upon the residence of Siddeshwara Hebbal, a Chief Mechanical Engineer with the NWKRTC. As the raid progressed, the scale of the alleged corruption became clear: investigators recovered ₹40 lakh in hard cash, alongside a significant haul of gold and silver jewelry. This wasn't an isolated incident; it was part of a synchronized statewide operation targeting officials suspected of amassing wealth far beyond their known sources of income.

The operation, led by SP M.S. Kaulapura, extended well beyond Hebbal’s living room. Officials spent the day meticulously scrutinizing vehicles and documents linked to the engineer. While reports from Asianet Suvarna highlighted the cash recovery, the Lokayukta’s net was cast much wider, hitting locations in Belagavi, Hubballi, and Vijaynagara simultaneously.

A Wider Web of Allegations

The Davanagere crackdown served as a focal point, but it was just one piece of a larger puzzle. Today’s drive saw Lokayukta teams raiding three separate high-profile targets in the district alone: Siddeshwara Hebbal, Krishna Naik—the secretary of the Bayalu Seeme Development Board—and Sanna Kenchappa, a Superintending Engineer with RIDL. Early findings suggest that officials have already secured documents pointing to assets worth crores of rupees, spanning land holdings and multiple properties.

Beyond the immediate raids, the spotlight has also shifted to Manick Kanakatti, a retired Superintending Engineer from the Panchayat Raj department. Allegations of corruption against him are mounting, with investigators looking into a massive 20-acre farm in Halli Kheda, Bidar, and multiple residential properties in Kalaburagi. Although Kanakatti is currently reported to be residing in Bengaluru, the sheer scale of the assets under scrutiny underscores the depth of the ongoing probe.

Why it matters

This wave of raids points to a recurring pattern in the state’s administrative landscape, where the scrutiny of public works and infrastructure departments often leads to the discovery of systemic corruption. While the primary focus remains on the specific assets seized today, the broader implication is a tightening of the net around state-level officials. By executing simultaneous strikes across various districts, the Lokayukta is signaling a shift toward aggressive, evidence-backed accountability.

Tracking these operations is essential because they peel back the curtain on how public funds—often earmarked for transport and rural development—are allegedly diverted. As the investigation continues, the original documentation seized by the agency will determine how many of these cases lead to formal charges. For now, the administrative corridors in Hubballi and beyond are watching closely, as the list of implicated officials continues to grow.