Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, June 22: The Karnataka government on June 21 suspended senior geologist and deputy director of the Department of Mines and Geology, Dakshina Kannada, Krishnaveni, weeks after she was caught red-handed by the Lokayukta while accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000.
Krishnaveni was arrested on May 28, 2025, in a trap laid by Lokayukta officials while allegedly receiving a bribe in connection with a land-related matter. She was lodged in jail for around 18 days following the arrest. The department director had recommended her suspension soon after the incident, but the official continued in the same post even after securing bail through a writ petition filed in the High Court.
Taking serious note of her continued posting, district in-charge minister Dinesh Gundu Rao wrote to the chief secretary on Saturday, urging immediate suspension and disciplinary action.
In response, the state’s under secretary for commerce and industries issued the suspension order on Saturday. Senior geologist Sandeep G U from Udupi has been appointed as the new deputy director for Dakshina Kannada under Rule 68 of the Karnataka Civil Services Rules.