Bengaluru: Contractors in the state, already struggling due to non-payment of bills for works completed, are now facing an increase in fraudulent intermediaries. A case has come to light where the son of a retired KBJNL officer has absconded after collecting crores of rupees from contractors by promising to get their bills cleared.
Background of the Incident:
Basavaraja Budihalmath, son of Chandrashekar Budihalmath, who served as the Personal Assistant (PA) to the Managing Directors of KBJNL for about 25 years, stands accused of cheating contractors. He allegedly collected large sums of money from contractors by falsely claiming, “I am acquainted with all top officials. I will get your pending bills sanctioned through high-level government officials.” After receiving the money, Basavaraja Budihalmath went into hiding, leaving the trusting contractors in financial ruin.
The Plight of Contractors:
The condition of contractors, who have been caught in a debt trap for the past three years due to pending bills, is critical. Even after completing development works by taking loans and mortgaging their homes and assets, funds are not being released by the government. Adding to this pain, contractors are being pushed into despair by trusting intermediaries who promise to get bills processed, only to be cheated again.
“Death is the only option”: The Cry of Contractors
An anonymous contractor shared his agony: “On one hand, we have completed work by paying bribes to officials, political leaders, and organizations demanding money. Now, unable to pay interest without receiving our bills, we are suffering. Life has become difficult due to such fraudulent intermediaries. We live in fear that if we expose this injustice, we will never receive our pending bills. In such a situation, death is the only option for us.”
Appeal to the Government:
The victimized contractors have appealed to Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Deputy Chief Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara, and Home Minister Priyank Kharge to immediately intervene against the atrocities and fraud faced by contractors in the state. They have demanded that the network of such intermediaries be busted, legal action be taken against the perpetrators, and pending bill payments be released immediately to eligible contractors.
