Bengaluru: Lokayukta police on Thursday conducted raids at properties owned by BJP leader M P Renukacharya in Bengaluru, Davangere and Shivamogga districts.
The raids came after an order of the Lokayukta Special Court, and were conducted simultaneously at palatial houses at Honnali, Davangere and Shivamogga, and on the campus of the Bapuji Educational Institution, owned by him.
In 2009, a nurse called Jayalakshmi had alleged he had sexually exploited her, and released intimate pictures to the media. She had held demonstrations against his inclusion in the B S Yeddyurappa ministry. He had quit the BJP and joined the KJP, launched by Yeddyurappa, but returned to the parent party later.
In Bengaluru, Renukacharya allegedly owns a house at R K Garden, near BEL Road. Properties owned by his relatives were raided in three places.
According to sources, a team of the Lokayukta police, comprising Chitradurga Superintendent of Police Sridhar, Deputy Superintendent of Police Manjappa and Inspector Sathyanarayana, conducted the raids. The court had ordered action after hearing a petition filed by Gurupadaiah Matad, RTI activist and Bhrashtachara Virodhi Vedike president. Matad is a resident of Honnali in Davangere district.
The Lokayukta police seized Rs 2.33 lakh in cash, gold worth Rs 4 lakh, and hundreds of documents related to Renukacharya’s properties. Sources said Renukacharya had bought 8.3 acres for Bapuji Ayurveda College in Shivamogga before becoming an MLA.
A hostel, an administrative office, and a hospital are now housed there. It has 10 vehicles. The total estimated cost of this property is Rs 80 lakh.
In Davangere, no documents were found relating to his properties. However, five cars and a tractor were found at Honnali, where he has a house.
A house in Bengaluru is registered in the name of his son-in-law Thippeswamy, sources said. Investigations are on and Lokayukta sleuths are checking his bank accounts.
In the complaint filed before the Lokayukta Special Court in Davangere on April 28, Matad alleged Renukacharya had acquired properties, some benami, by misusing his office as minister. On May 2, the court had directed the Lokayukta police to submit a report.
The Lokayukta police found 2,000 saris and 70 wall clocks from his house at Honnali, allegedly stored for distribution among voters during the gram panchayat elections. The Lokayukta police have asked the tahsildar to book a case against Renukacharya for violating the election code of conduct.
