Daijiworld Media Network- Karkala (SR)
Karkala Sep 10: Nitte gram panchayath development officer and secretary B R Salotigi and his assistant were arrested red-handed while accepting bribe by Udupi Lokayukta on Thursday September 9.
Sandeep Poojary from Kalya, working in a catering service at Nandalike, wanted to open an ice cream factory at Gundya and had applied to the gram panchayath secretary with the necessary documents. According to norms, Poojary was supposed to pay Rs 500 as fee but the secretary asked him to shell out an extra two thousand rupees.
When Poojary asked for concession Salotigi refused and demanded the amount. Frustrated, Poojary lodged a complaint with the Lokayukta on Wednesday September 8.
Lokayukta inspector B P Dinesh equipped Poojary with a voice recorder and asked him to discuss the amount with the secretary. Salotigi refused to sign the the permit for the factory without being paid at least Rs 1000. The Lokayukta arrived on the scene and caught him red-handed.
The operation was headed by Lokayukta DYSP Dr Prabhudeva, Divakar, Ramachandra Bhat, Shobha, Shreedhar, Umesh, Santosh, Ashok and Lakshmidhar Sethi.