Daijiworld Media Network – Moodbidri (SP)
Moodbidri, Jan 20: Forester from Shirtady near here, M C Aiyappa, was caught by the personnel of Lokayukta Mangalore, while accepting a bribe of Rs 1,500 for issuing permission for cutting down a tree for building a house, on Wednesday January 19.
He was produced in Mangalore sessions court, whereupon, he was remanded to 15 days judicial custody. It is gathered that the bail petition moved by him will be examined on Saturday January 22.
H M Ramesh, living in Gandhinagar here, trades in timber. He had been given a power of attorney by Seetamma from Mantrady village, in relation to her proposal for cutting down a jackfruit tree. It is stated that when Ramesh approached Aiyappa for permission to cut down the tree, the official demanded a bribe of Rs 1,500, and that the Lokayukta superintendent of police, Jagamayya, deputy superintendent of police, Sadanand Varnekar, and other officials, conducted a raid and took the money and official into possession. Lokayukta inspectors, Dileep, Lakshmikant, and Uday Naik were present at the time of the raid.
Well-planned Conspiracy, Say Locals
In a press conference held in Press Club on Wednesday evening, taluk panchayat member from Shirdady, gram panchayat member, Pravin Kumar, and others dubbed the above incident as a well-planned conspiracy to defame an honest official.
Addressing the press conference, Poojary said that Aiyappa is a disciplined official, and that his role in nabbing sandalwood thieves at Padukonaje in the past, had come in for lavish praise from the people. He said that his arrest by the Lokayukta can be traced to the case in which Sandesh P G, Karkala rural police station house officer, was nabbed by the Lokayukta on October 20, 2010, on the allegation of demanding bribe for mending the sore relationship between Ayyappa’s son and daughter-in-law. He said that the people of the village are demanding for an impartial investigation into the case.
Shashidhar Devadiga, Puttige Muralidhar, and others were present at the press conference.