For the first time in the last 15 years, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of the Andhra Pradesh Police conducted raids on properties linked to a Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) employee on Wednesday and reportedly unearthed unaccounted wealth worth crores of rupees.
ACB officials conducted simultaneous searches at the residence and properties linked to TTD Deputy Executive Officer Mendu Lokanatham in Tirupati, following allegations that he possessed assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
The searches began around 6 am and were carried out by seven teams under the supervision of ACB DSP Srinivasa Rao. The main search was conducted at Lokanatham’s residence in the Pedakapu Layout area of Tirupati.
ACB teams also searched the residences of his relatives as part of the investigation.
Officials searched a guesthouse in Tirumala reportedly associated with Lokanatham, besides the houses of his two brothers-in-law in Tirupati. Another search was conducted at the residence of his brother in Chelluru village in Yerpedu mandal.
ACB officials also examined lockers at the State Bank of India branch in STV Nagar, Tirupati, as part of the searches.
Lokanatham was reportedly present at his residence when the ACB teams arrived and began the searches.
According to preliminary information, officials found gold jewellery and movable and immovable properties allegedly worth several crores of rupees during the searches.
The exact value and nature of the assets are expected to be established after the searches are completed and the relevant documents are verified.
The raids have drawn attention because of the senior position held by Lokanatham in the TTD administration.
The searches are reportedly being conducted in connection with allegations that he accumulated assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
The latest action is significant in the context of TTD, one of the country’s most prominent temple administrations.
The previous reported ACB search involving a TTD Deputy Executive Officer was conducted in 2011, when the agency searched the residence of then TTD Deputy EO Bhupathi Reddy.
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