Tirupati, September 2: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Andhra Pradesh conducted searches on Wednesday at the residence of Mendu Loknatham, the Deputy Executive Officer of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), in Tirupati.
ACB teams began their operation early in the morning at Loknatham’s home located in the Peddakapu layout. Concurrently, officials also searched his office in Tirumala.
The ACB’s investigation is part of a probe into allegations that the TTD officer possesses assets significantly exceeding his known sources of income. Reports indicate that a guest house linked to Loknatham in Tirumala was also under scrutiny.
Raids were simultaneously conducted at two of Loknatham’s residences in Tirupati, as well as at his sister’s home in Chellur, Yerpedu Mandal. ACB officials, led by DSP Srinivas Rao, initiated the searches at 6 AM. Loknatham was present at his residence when the officials arrived.
Additionally, ACB officers opened Loknatham’s lockers at the State Bank of India’s STV Nagar branch in Tirupati. Currently, he serves as the Deputy Executive Officer at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple and has held various positions within TTD in the past.
This marks the second time in a decade that the ACB has raided properties associated with a TTD officer. In 2016, the agency conducted a similar search at the residence of the then Deputy Executive Director, T. Bhupati Reddy.
Raids were also conducted at the homes of Loknatham’s relatives and close associates in Tirupati and Bengaluru. These searches were based on allegations that the accused possesses assets far beyond his known income sources.
During the operation, officials uncovered documents and records related to 12 housing sites, two bank lockers, an apartment, and a four-story building.
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