Pramesh S Jain & Yogesh K Porwar
Continuing investigation into the extortion racket allegedly run in nexus of senior officer with a dismissed head constable,the lokayukta officials on Tuesday searched the house of ningappa Sawanth,a dismissed head constable and found that he had invested the extortion money in crypto currency .
The officials seized 13 crypto currency wallets from him for further investigation.Investigation are also found that he had invested the extortion money in his name and in the name of his relatives and some police officials .
T
he seizure was made after series of search operations and analysis of the mobile phones seized from his house.
Ningappa according to the lokayukta officials confessed that he was running the extortion racket for the last six months,targetting excise officials.The investigations are on to ascertain how much each officials had paid him the money.
Further investigation revealed that Ningappa was in touch with many officials including some in Lokayukta office on WhatsApp and on regular calls.
The lokayukta officials are also probing on 35 cases registered across the state where unknown people posing as lokayukta officials called officials of the various government departments threatening them with the cases and extorted money.
In many cases there are instances where the callers have approached government officials who are facing cases and enquiries with the lokayukta and demanded money to drop the charges against them.
Those officials who have received such calls can approach lokayukta on 080 22011205 or 22011273 or email kla.citysp-ka-nic.in or kla.citysp2-ka-nic.in .
Meanwhile lokayukta officials also searched the house of their former Superintendent of police Srinath M Joshi, following the lead obtained from Ningappa .
According to the sources Joshi was relieved from the lokayukta police wing on the ground that he completed three years tenure.
Following the raids at the house and seizure of documents,cash and gold ornaments,he reportedly approached the court seeking anticipatory bail after lokayukta officials issued notice to appear before them for questioning.
Sources said that Ningappa had collecting crores of rupees from several state government officials by leaking information of possible raids against them on the behest of a Joshi.
Meanwhile,Ningappa who is presently in judicial custody moved for bail before the Special Court for Lokayukta Cases,which adjourned the hearing to June 19 .
