Huge Cache Seized in Alleged Karnataka Land Fraud Case

Digital devices, Rs 1.5 crore in cash, and documents were seized during searches in a money-laundering case tied to alleged land fraud by the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board. The Enforcement Directorate raided multiple locations, including the KIADB's Bengaluru head office, uncovering evidence of Rs 72.55 crore siphoned through fraudulent compensation claims.

In a significant development, digital devices, Rs 1.5 crore in cash, and various documents were confiscated during searches conducted in a money-laundering case related to alleged land fraud by the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB). The Enforcement Directorate (ED) revealed the findings on Tuesday.

The raids, carried out on August 9-10 across a dozen premises in Bengaluru and Dharwad, included the KIADB head office in Bengaluru and its zonal office in Dharwad. The action stems from an FIR filed by the Vidyagiri police station in Dharwad against 'main accused' V D Sajjan, a former special land acquisition officer of KIADB-Dharwad, and others, later transferred to the CID, Dharwad.

The FIR and chargesheet allege that Sajjan and other KIADB-Dharwad officials colluded with land brokers to sanction compensation totaling Rs 19.99 crore to seven individuals for land previously compensated, thus defrauding the government. The scam reportedly involved Rs 72.55 crore siphoned off through similar means, including 'malki payments' for items on the acquired land. The ED's searches yielded incriminating records and evidence, and frozen Rs 55 lakh in Sajjan's bank deposits.