BENGALURU:
Income Tax (IT) officials conducted a raid on contractor R. Ambikapathy, who had previously accused the BJP government in Karnataka of taking a 40% commission. The raid took place in Bengaluru on October 12, targeting several prominent contractors in the state.
During the operation, IT officials discovered a significant amount of money in a flat associated with Ambikapathy, who serves as the president of the BBMP Contractors’ Association and vice-president of the Karnataka Contractors’ Association. The exact amount of cash found has not been disclosed, but sources reveal that it was hidden in more than 20 cardboard boxes beneath a bed in a flat that Ambikapathy did not reside in.
Allegations suggest that Ambikapathy attempted to delay handing over the keys to the flat, indicating a possible effort to relocate the money. The raid on the flat occurred on October 12.
It is worth noting that Ambikapathy played a prominent role in a campaign by the Karnataka Contractors’ Association, where they accused the previous BJP government of accepting a staggering “40% commission” for state contracts. Additionally, Ambikapathy was previously arrested, along with other contractors, due to a criminal defamation case filed against them by former minister Munirathna regarding corruption allegations. However, they were later released.
Ambikapathy’s wife is a former city councillor (2010-15) affiliated with the Janata Dal (Secular) party. The couple has close ties to former Congress MLA from Pulikeshinagar, Akhanda Srinivasamurthy. While several relatives of the couple are also being subjected to raids, Srinivasamurthy himself is not included in the operation, according to sources.
Ambikapathy, who was once a prominent figure among contractors, now finds themselves under scrutiny due to the recent raid.
Ambikapathy, formerly one of the prominent contractors in Bengaluru, has refrained from undertaking any significant contracts for nearly a decade due to health issues, as confirmed by several contractors in the city. Surprisingly, amidst his inactivity, a substantial amount of money is alleged to have been discovered at his premises, leaving us perplexed. This situation raises suspicions among us,” expressed a senior contractor in Bengaluru.
