Karnataka: After Valmiki and MUDA scam, Rs 2.47 crore money transfer scandal at Tourism dept; FIR lodged

By Vinaykumar Patil | First Published Jul 15, 2024, 9:55 AM IST

In Bagalkot, Karnataka, a significant illegal transfer totalling Rs 2.47 crore from Tourism Department accounts has surfaced amid the Valmiki Corporation scam investigation. An FIR filed by Gopal Hittalamani details 21 unauthorized transactions between October 2021 and February 2024. Authorities discovered discrepancies during a routine bank visit, prompting a serious police inquiry.

A significant case of illegal transfer amounting to over Rs 2.47 crore in the bank account of the Tourism Department in Bagalkot has come to light amidst the ongoing investigation into the Valmiki Corporation scam. This new revelation has intensified accusations and tensions within state politics. An FIR has been filed at the Cybercrime Police Station, indicating that this money was transferred without the authorities noticing.

Gopal Hittalamani, an officer of the Karnataka Tourism Department, filed a complaint against the manager and staff of IDBI Bank in Bagalkot on June 11. The investigation began immediately after the complaint.

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Between October 28, 2021, and February 22, 2024, funds were illegally transferred 21 times from three accounts in the IDBI Bank branch in Bagalkot. These accounts were in the names of the District Collector and the District Tourism Development Committee Chairman. The breakdown of the transferred amounts is as follows: Rs 1,35,96,500 through account number 1071104000160063 from October 28, 2021, to February 22, 2024; Rs 1,01,33,750 through account number 1071104000165228 from May 4, 2022, to November 7, 2022; and Rs 43,749 through account number 1071104000165501 on October 11, 2022. In total, Rs 2,47,73,999 was transferred to various accounts without the knowledge of the authorities.

The FIR mentions that the funds were transferred without the permission of the Tourism Department, cheating the government by diverting the money.

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The illegal transfers came to light when an official from the Bagalkot Tourism Department visited IDBI Bank in the first week of July to retrieve a statement. Initially, the account showed Rs 1.63 crore. However, upon further inspection of all checks sent by the department to the bank, a discrepancy was noticed. When the official returned to the bank three days ago to get another statement, only Rs 2,915 was found in the account.

Superintendent of Police Amarnath Reddy commented on the case, stating that the police department is taking the matter seriously. A meeting has already been held with the District Collector, and bank officials have been called in for further investigation.

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