Daijiworld Media Network - Vijayapura (SP)

Vijayapura, Jan 20: Tahsildar here, Aparna Pavate, and village accountant, Shankaragouda Biradar, were arrested by Lokayukta police on Monday January 19 for accepting bribe of one lac rupees for issuing no objection letter for a land, through the tahsildar's mediary.

Biradar is the village accountant of Hegadehal village. He was accepting money from a person named Ramesh Hanumant Bidanoor on behalf of the tahsildar, when the Lokayukta police raided the place.

Bidanoor,on behalf of owners of different sites totalling 52 acres in Toravi village on the outskirts of the city, had applied for no objection certificate from revenue department. This certificate was required for these owners, who were willing to sell their land to Bijapur Development Authority. Bidanoor had also furnished relevant documents. When he failed to secure no objection certificate even after lapse of prescribed time, he directly met the tahsildar, who reportedly sought more documents. He furnished these documents also.

The next time when Bidanoor approached the tahsildar, she reportedly directed him to the case worker. The case worker asked him to take up the matter with village accountant, Shankaragouda Biradar. Biradar placed a demand for five lac rupees bribe for issuance of the letter. After protracted negotiation, the amount was brought down to one lac rupees. Bidanoor filed a written complaint with the district Lokayukta police about this transaction.

The Lokayukta raided the spot as per pre-arranged plan and took the concerned to custody. Lokakyukta superintendent of police, P V Prabhakar, said that investigations are continuing, and further actions will be taken depending on the outcome of investigations.