The Karnataka Lokayukta and Upa Lokayukta conducted raids on 45 Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) offices simultaneously on Thursday, August 3, to check for irregularities. BBMP offices in Bengaluru East, Bommanahalli, Yelahanka, Mahadevapura, Malleswaram, Rajajinagar, Banashankari, Vijayanagara, Basavanagudi, Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Yeshwanthpur and Dasarahalli were raided, according to a press release. The Lokayukta Justice BS Patil, and Upa Lokayukta KN Phaneendra, also paid surprise visits to the offices as the raids were being conducted.

The raids were conducted amid increasing complaints of staff members asking for bribes, BBMP sources told TNIE. The raids were an effort to unearth “illegalities and irregularities” regarding allegations of corruption, nepotism and poor administrative practices. During the raids, unaccounted cash, procedural lapses and other irregularities were also reportedly detected.

Thirteen Judicial Officers, seven Superintendents of Police, 19 Deputy Superintendents of Police, 26 Police Inspectors along with several other police personnel and staff were involved in conducting the raids. Meanwhile, the Director General of Police of Lokayukta Karnataka and the Inspector General of Police of Lokayukta Karnataka were also supervising the raids.

The raids reportedly come in light of revenue and planning staff members in the BBMP demanding more than Rs 50,000 as bribes for issuing a commencement certificate for building work, completion and occupation certificates for single-kitchen houses. TNIE reported that bribes were also demanded to issue building plan approval and other documents.