Karnataka Lokayukta raids HESCOM, GESCOM officials; recovers cash, gold, 80 liquor bottles
Synopsis
Karnataka's Lokayukta struck simultaneously across three districts on 22 September, targeting electricity utility and welfare department officials. The Mandya haul alone — reportedly over ₹2 crore in assets, 80 liquor bottles, and government food supplies meant for hostel students — points to systemic diversion of public resources, not just personal enrichment.
Key Takeaways
Karnataka Lokayukta conducted simultaneous raids on 22 September 2026 across Mandya , Kalaburagi , and Hubballi-Dharwad .
Assets worth more than ₹2 crore , including cash, gold, and property documents, were reportedly recovered from a retired BCM Hostel Superintendent in Mandya.
Around 80 bottles of liquor and food supplies allegedly meant for hostel students were also found at the Mandya premises.
Approximately 400 grams of gold were reportedly seized from a GESCOM AEE 's residence in Kalaburagi .
A HESCOM AEE and his family face scrutiny after searches at four locations in Hubballi-Dharwad .
Lokayukta teams are verifying property documents and financial records; further action depends on the asset-valuation outcome.
Karnataka Lokayukta officials on Tuesday, 22 September 2026 executed simultaneous raids across multiple districts of the state, targeting the properties of both serving and retired government employees facing complaints of amassing assets disproportionate to their known income. Officials recovered cash, gold jewellery, property documents, 80 bottles of liquor, and other valuables during the coordinated searches.
Where the Raids Were Conducted
Search operations were launched across three locations — Mandya, Kalaburagi, and Hubballi-Dharwad — covering a retired Backward Classes Welfare (BCM) Hostel Superintendent and serving officials of the Hubli Electricity Supply Company Ltd (HESCOM) and the Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company Limited (GESCOM). The simultaneous nature of the operation was designed to prevent asset concealment or document destruction.
Mandya: Retired BCM Official's Assets Under Scanner
In Mandya, Lokayukta teams raided the residence at Vinayaka Layout, Maddur, and the farmhouse of the retired BCM Hostel Superintendent in connection with allegations of corruption and disproportionate wealth accumulation. The searches reportedly uncovered assets worth more than ₹2 crore, along with cash, gold jewellery, hundreds of property documents, and expensive silk sarees.
Around 80 bottles of liquor were reportedly found at the retired official's residence. Investigators also recovered food supplies — including rice, pulses, and cooking oil — allegedly intended for BCM hostel students. Notably, gift boxes that the government had procured for distribution to officials and VIPs during a literary conference held in Mandya two years ago were also seized from the residence and farmhouse, raising questions about the diversion of public materials.
A photocopying machine and scanner were deployed at the locations to copy and digitise the large volume of property documents recovered, indicating the scale of the documentary evidence involved.
Kalaburagi: GESCOM Engineer's Gold Holdings Examined
In Kalaburagi, a team led by Lokayukta Superintendent of Police Siddaraju raided the residence of a woman Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) employed with GESCOM in Mahalakshmi Layout, following complaints of disproportionate assets. Officials reportedly recovered approximately 400 grams of gold during the search. The Lokayukta is currently examining her assets and financial records to ascertain whether they exceed her known sources of income.
Hubballi-Dharwad: Four Locations Searched in HESCOM Case
The most expansive operation was carried out in Hubballi-Dharwad, where a team led by Lokayukta Deputy Superintendent of Police Basavaraj Budni searched four locations linked to a HESCOM AEE and his family. The locations included the HESCOM office in Hubballi, the residence and office of the AEE's wife — also an engineer with the power utility — a house in Akshay Park, Hubballi, and a property belonging to the officer's brother in Dharwad. The Gopanakoppa HESCOM office and the residence of Kiran Kumar's brother were also among the sites covered.
This comes amid growing scrutiny of Karnataka's power distribution utilities, where procurement and contracting roles have historically created opportunities for irregular asset accumulation, according to anti-corruption watchdogs.
Investigation Ongoing
Lokayukta teams are continuing to verify property documents, bank records, and financial data recovered from all locations to determine the full extent of assets allegedly accumulated beyond the officials' legitimate income. The findings will be used to establish whether formal charges for disproportionate assets can be filed. Further action, including possible arrests, is contingent on the outcome of the ongoing asset-valuation exercise.
Point of View
Multi-district sweep signals that the Karnataka Lokayukta is moving beyond token action and targeting power-sector and welfare-department officials who have historically operated in low-scrutiny environments. The recovery of government-procured food supplies and literary conference gift boxes at a BCM official's home is the detail mainstream coverage may underplay — it suggests corruption extending to the diversion of resources meant for marginalised students. The real measure of this operation's impact will come in the follow-through: Karnataka's anti-corruption track record has seen high-profile raids followed by prolonged investigations that rarely reach conviction. Whether these searches translate into filed chargesheets or quietly fade will define the Lokayukta's credibility in the current political climate.
NationPress
22 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Karnataka Lokayukta recover in the 22 September raids?
Lokayukta officials recovered cash, gold jewellery, property documents, around 80 bottles of liquor, silk sarees, and food supplies from multiple premises. Assets reportedly worth more than ₹2 crore were seized from a retired BCM Hostel Superintendent in Mandya alone, while roughly 400 grams of gold were recovered from a GESCOM official's residence in Kalaburagi.
Who were the targets of the Karnataka Lokayukta raids?
The raids targeted a retired Backward Classes Welfare Hostel Superintendent in Mandya, a woman Assistant Executive Engineer with GESCOM in Kalaburagi, and a HESCOM Assistant Executive Engineer along with his family members in Hubballi-Dharwad. All face allegations of possessing assets disproportionate to their known sources of income.
Why were government food supplies found at the Mandya official's home?
According to officials, food supplies including rice, pulses, and cooking oil — allegedly meant for students of a BCM hostel — were recovered from the retired superintendent's residence. This suggests the materials may have been diverted from their intended beneficiaries, though investigations are ongoing.
What happens next after the Karnataka Lokayukta raids?
Lokayukta teams are currently verifying property documents, bank records, and financial data recovered from all searched locations. The findings will determine whether formal charges for disproportionate assets can be filed; possible arrests are contingent on the outcome of this asset-valuation exercise.
Which districts were covered in the Karnataka Lokayukta operation?
The operation covered three districts — Mandya, Kalaburagi, and Hubballi-Dharwad — with searches conducted simultaneously to prevent concealment of evidence or assets.
