Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Jan 12: Following the incident in which a court employee was apprehended while accepting bribe in Mangalore, special public prosecutor of the fast track court here, Shankar Bovi, was arrested by the Lokayukta policemen on Tuesday January 11. He was nabbed on a complaint made by B Nagesh Nayak from Harikhandige near Perdoor.

In a case in which Nagesh Nayak was allegedly assaulted by a few people from Byrampalli on March 20, 2009, the second additional civil judge’s court had delivered its verdict, through which it had imposed two years imprisonment and Rs 2,300 fine to each of the accused, on October 20 this year.

The appeal filed by the defendants against this conviction, had come up for hearing before the fast track court. Nayak had approached the special public prosecutor named above, and reportedly enquired about the appeal. Nayak says that Bovi asked him to ‘take care’ of him, and that after being offered Rs 250, Bovi demanded for more.

After Nayak complained to the Lokayukta, he was given a voice recorder. When Nayak went to meet Bovi, the latter said that it would have been better if something is paid to the judge too, and demanded Rs 10,000. When Bovi was moving towards fish market after accepting the bribe, he was arrested by the Lokayukta personnel.

Lokayukta deputy superintendent of police, Prabhudeva Mane, led the operation, in which, circle police inspector, B P Dineshkuar, Timmaiah, and other personnel had participated. Bovi, who was produced in the court on Tuesday January 11, has been released on bail.