Bangalore, Jul 18 (DHNS): The first to fall prey to the Karnataka Lokayukta after the ombudsman was recently vested with more powers is Congress corporator L Govindaraju, caught for taking a bribe of Rs 2 lakh from a contractor on Saturday.

The anti-graft sleuths netted Govindaraju, corporator from Ganesh Mandir (ward number 165), while he was allegedly accepting the bribe from Udaya Kumar, a contractor and resident of Banashankari third stage. This was based on a complaint by Kumar.

Govindaraju had been demanding a bribe of Rs 8 lakh from Kumar on the grounds that the contractor had violated Brihat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) norms while constructing an apartment in Katriguppe, Lokayukta officials said. “Udaya Kumar had lodged a complaint with the Lokayukta police in this regard on July 16. He had paid a bribe of Rs 2 lakh to Govindaraju months ago. But the corporator was asking for Rs 3 lakh more to settle the alleged violation committed by Udayakumar,” they said.

Govindaraju was caught accepting the bribe at his Banashankari residence. He was arrested and later remanded to judicial custody. “It is not known whether Udayakumar has flouted any BBMP norms or not. We don’t have power to investigate into the matter. But, the corporator has surely committed an offence by asking and accepting bribe,” the officials maintained. The Congress was quick to suspend the corporator, saying his falling into the Lokayukta net dented the party’s image.