Bengaluru: A man from Tumakuru, identified as Raghunath (38), has been arrested by the police for allegedly impersonating a close aide to Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Minister Priyank Kharge. The accused reportedly misled government employees and private individuals by promising job transfers in exchange for bribes.

According to the police, Raghunath had been contacting government officials, introducing himself as a personal secretary to high-ranking ministers. He allegedly assured them of favorable job transfers for a fee, subsequently collecting funds under false pretenses. This operation came to light after complaints were filed, leading the police to register two separate FIRs and launch an investigation that culminated in Raghunath’s arrest.

Case of Executive Engineer N. Kavya

In one instance, Raghunath contacted N. Kavya, Executive Engineer of the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department in Challakere, posing as an aide to Minister Priyank Kharge. He allegedly demanded Rs. 2 lakh in return for a transfer, of which he collected Rs. 80,000 in advance. Suspicion arose when Dr. Nagaraj, a special officer in Minister Kharge’s office, filed a complaint with the Vidhana Soudha police station regarding the fraudulent activities.

Fraudulent Activity Targeting D.K. Shivakumar’s Office

In a separate incident, Raghunath introduced himself to government employees as an aide in the office of Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, promising job transfers for payment. However, when officials doubted his claims, Rajendra Prasad, a personal secretary to D.K. Shivakumar, lodged a formal complaint against him.

Raghunath, who holds an MBA degree, has been accused of similar fraudulent activities in the past. Instead of seeking stable employment, he reportedly frequented government offices, gathering contact information and posing as a ministerial aide. This modus operandi allowed him to defraud individuals by assuring them of transfers and government jobs. Police also revealed that he had been previously arrested for similar offenses but had resumed the same tactics after his release.

The police stated that investigations are ongoing to uncover additional instances of fraud and to hold the accused accountable.