Unless fixed, corruption in Bescom may come back to bite K J George and CM Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru

Unless the rampant corruption in the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (Bescom) is addressed by the government, it may come back to bite Energy Minister K J George and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

About four days ago, the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Jyothi Prakash (50), who is also an Executive Engineer with the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL), was caught red-handed by Lokayukta sleuths. He was arrested along with Naveen M (34) for demanding and accepting a bribe. In July, the Income Tax (IT) Department carried out raids at multiple locations linked to George in connection with the alleged ₹15,568 crore smart meter scam. The BJP and JD(S) have alleged that tender conditions were flouted to award a contract to a company that was allegedly ineligible.

Highly placed sources in Bescom told blrpost.com that tender conditions have been largely violated in several works to favour certain individuals and companies close to power centres in the state. While it is common for some violations to occur under previous governments as well, under the present administration this has become rampant. Even some Bescom officials feel that this level of corruption is unhealthy for any agency.

For instance, tenders for hiring vehicles for Bescom are currently underway. Even in this case, some top officials are allegedly planning to issue contracts to favoured parties in violation of rules. The top brass in Bescom and the Energy Department are facing resentment from lower-rung officials, and this discontent may soon explode. “Minister George must look at the big picture as trouble is brewing, and recent raids are an indication of the same. Some of George’s rivals may use this as a weapon to dethrone him,” said a source.

Another source said the issue will not stop with George since he is close to CM Siddaramaiah. The CM has already faced hurdles from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case, although the case lacked substance. However, the violations in Bescom are glaring and present an easy target for opponents within the party who wish to see Siddaramaiah removed from the top post.

The Lokayukta has now reached George’s OSD, and it may not be long before other agencies turn their attention to the top ministers, said another source. The source added that the CM must find a quick solution to address the problem.