2 Karnataka officials arrested for demanding bribe of Rs 30,000 for minor e-khata correction
Karnataka’s Lokayukta police have arrested a panchayat development officer (PDO) and another government official for demanding a bribe of Rs 30,000 to make a minor correction in an electronic property certificate.
The arrested accused—PDO Mohammed Ali and secretary Suresh P H—worked in the Kambadal Hosuru grama panchayat in Bhadravathi taluk of Shivamogga district, Lokayukta officials said on Wednesday.
Divakar, a resident of the district, had approached the officials with a request to make a correction in the e-khata of a property but the accused officials allegedly demanded Rs 30,000 for it.
Divakar filed a complaint before the Lokayukta police, which then laid a trap and Suresh was allegedly caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 15,000. Ali was subsequently arrested.
E-khata is an electronic property certificate that maintains ownership information in an online database, serving as an alternative to the traditional paper-based khata. It aims to improve transparency, eliminate fraudulent dealings or duplicate transactions, and simplify the process.
Smart City chief engineer held
In another incident, the Lokayukta police arrested M Krishnappa, chief engineer in charge of the Shivamogga Smart City project, for demanding a bribe of Rs 1 lakh from an executive of a private firm.
Extreme Private Limited had secured a 2019 tender to manage ads on seven digital display boards and the Smart City office owed the firm Rs 11.16 lakh. Krishnappa allegedly demanded a bribe from Pavan M S, the firm’s executive site engineer, to process the pending payment.
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Unwilling to pay the bribe, Pavan filed a complaint with the police, which arrested Krishnappa while he was allegedly accepting the bribe.
An officer said that Krishnappa had retired as a chief engineer but sought an extension.
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