A fact-finding committee in Bengaluru is investigating alleged illegal payments amounting to Rs 500 crore in the RR Nagar Assembly constituency. BBMP’s Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath initiated the probe following reports of ‘honey trapping’ to secure payments. The investigation will scrutinize payments made between September 18, 2020, and July 19, 2022, under the supervision of Thulasi Maddineni, a 2005-batch IAS officer who served as the special commissioner of finance during that period. The constituency was represented by Munirathna, currently in judicial custody for various charges, including sexual assault.
Maddineni denied any wrongdoing, stating that all payments were authorized by the chief commissioner. The BBMP allegedly bypassed protocols by expediting payments for RR Nagar-related bills, triggering concerns about favoritism and possible collusion between contractors and officials. Payment delays for government-funded projects typically span around three months, but the expedited payments violating the standard procedure have raised suspicions about ethics and transparency within the system.
Published on 23 September 2024, 22:18 IST
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