Daijiworld Media Network – Karwar (SP)

Karwar, Nov 4: An employee of the taluk office in Bhatkal was caught red-handed by the Lokayukta police at around 4 pm on Thursday November 3. The person they nabbed has been identified as Shambhu Ganapati Hegde, first division assistant in the tahsildar’s office.

The Lokayukta police raided the office even as Hegde was receiving bribe of Rs 900 from Suresh Durgappa Naik, a resident of Muttalli in the taluk. It is said that Durgappa Naik had applied for no objection certificate from the revenue department for the sale of a farm land, on September 19. Hegde, who disposed off the application, reportedly demanded for a bribe of Rs 1,500 from Naik before no objection certificate can be delivered. When Naik tried to scale down the amount of bribe, he was harassed by not issuing the certificate, it is said.

Naik then complained to the Lokayukta. The Lokayukta, who laid a trap for the accused, took him into custody during the raid. Lokayukta deputy superintendent of police, Mahesh Megannavar, police circle inspector, Ravikumar, Biradar, and other officers took part in the raid.