Karnataka officer 'linked' to mining baron arrested - The Hindu

Special Land Acquisition Officer L. Bhima Nayak, who was allegedly linked to mining baron and former Karnataka Minister G. Janardhan Reddy and was accused of converting crores of rupees in black money into white, was arrested by the Maddur police in Kalaburagi on Sunday.

Mr. Nayak and his driver, Mohammed, went absconding after another driver, K.C. Ramesh, committed suicide on December 6.

Driver’s allegation

Ramesh alleged in his suicide note that he was harassed by Mr. Nayak after he came to know details of the officer’s black money transactions and conversion of old currency into new ones.

In an 11-page note, Ramesh, who committed suicide at a lodge in Maddur, alleged that, among other transactions, the officer had converted Rs. 25 crore worth devalued currency for Mr. Janardhan Reddy before the grand wedding of Mr. Reddy’s daughter.

The note also mentioned the name of Ballari MP, B. Sriramulu.

C.H. Sudheer Kumar Reddy, Superintendent of Police, Mandya, said a team traced Mr. Nayak, a Karnataka Administrative Service officer, and his driver near Kalaburagi and took them into custody.

A case of abetment to suicide was registered against Mr. Nayak and three teams were formed to probe the case, Mathew Thomas, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Malavalli sub-division), told The Hindu. The Criminal Investigation Department is probing the money laundering case.

The duo will be brought to the district and produced before a jurisdiction court on Monday.