Daijiworld Media Network - Beltangady (SP)

Beltangady, Jan 9: Officials of Dakshina Kannada district unit of Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested Sudheer N (33), forest guard working in Uppinangady range of Puttur taluk, when accepting bribe of Rs 3,000 from a complainant. The raiding party recovered the amount of bribe from the possession of the forest guard and arrested him.

Gopalakrishna Herale, residing of Uruvalu village in the taluk had purchased some Mahogany trees standing in the land owned by a person for personal use. He had approached Sudheer, a forest guard, to get permit from the forest department to cut down these trees. It is said that Sudheer assured him that he does not need a permit. He promised to make arrangements for the same and demanded for bribe of Rs 15,000, the complainant stated.

A complaint was registered by Herale with ACB on January 7. It is said that the complainant had paid Rs 10,000 towards part payment of bribe agreed upon to Sudheer on January 3. As Sudheer demanded additional bribe, Herale was handing over Rs 3,000 to him on Wednesday, January 8, when ACB officials conducted an operation in which the forest guard was trapped red-handed.

Investigation into the case is in progress.