Chamarajanagara: The Lokayukta Police have trapped two agriculture department officers on Wednesday April 5 while accepting bribe of Rs. 2.5 Lakh from a trader.
The accused were identified as Praveen Kumar Assistant Director of Agriculture Department and Sathish , Technical Assistant of Gundlupete Taluk of the District Agriculture Department.
According to a complaint filed by Kumaraswamy, owner of S. R. Traders who supplied agricultural equipment to department, both officers demanded bribe of Rs. 2.5 Lakh to sanction the bill of trader. The department procures equipment from local traders through competitive bidding to distribute equipment to beneficeries under 50 percent subsidy.
The officers kept 7-8 bills amounting Rs. 25 Lakh of beneficiaries and demanded bribe from traders to pass the pending bills. In this regard, S. R. Traders owner Kumaraswamy had complained to the Lokayukta that the Agriculture Officer and the Assistant Director were asking for a bribe of Rs. 1.5 Lakh and Rs. 1 Lakh. After receiving the complaint, the Lokayukta police conducted an operation and arrested the accused red-handed while accepting bribe.
JMFC Court Gundlupete remanded the accused to judicial custody for 15 days. Officials are investigting.
