Mangaluru: Three officials attached to the assistant director of land records offices in Ullal and Mangaluru taluk were arrested by the Karnataka Lokayukta police on Wednesday for allegedly accepting bribes totalling ₹30,000 from an outsourced employee. The operation, carried out by the Mangaluru division of the Lokayukta, exposed a pattern of alleged illegal demands related to the processing of salary bills and extension of outsourced service contracts.
Complaint leads to Lokayukta action
According to a press release issued by the Karnataka Lokayukta, the complainant—an outsourced employee working at the UPOR (Urban Property Ownership Records) office in Mangaluru—approached the anti-corruption agency after officials allegedly demanded money to clear his pending salary bill. The officials also purportedly sought bribes to issue an order extending his outsourced service.
The complainant claimed that the demands had persisted despite his repeated requests to the officials to process his documents legitimately. Fearing exploitation and further delays, he decided to file a formal complaint with the Lokayukta police.
Officials allegedly demanded varying amounts
As per the Lokayukta press note, Krishnamurthy, a surveyor at the Ullal land records office, had initially demanded ₹50,000 for processing the required work. In addition, two officials from the assistant director of land records office in Mangaluru taluk—BK Raju, assistant director, and S. Dhanashekar, survey supervisor—allegedly sought ₹10,000 each for issuing service extension orders and clearing the complainant’s salary bill.
The officials’ alleged demands highlighted an entrenched pattern in which outsourced employees, often in vulnerable positions, face pressure to pay bribes for routine administrative procedures. The Lokayukta noted that such cases frequently arise due to lack of oversight and the temporary nature of outsourced positions.
Lokayukta trap executed successfully
On 26 November, the Lokayukta team laid the trap after conducting preliminary verification of the allegations. Krishnamurthy was caught red-handed while accepting ₹20,000 from the complainant. In a separate operation, BK Raju and S. Dhanashekar were trapped while taking ₹5,000 each.
All three accused officials were taken into custody immediately after the operation. The Lokayukta confirmed that the bribe amounts recovered during the trap matched the complainant’s allegations. Officials stated that the arrests were carried out in adherence to anti-corruption surveillance protocols.
Investigation under way
The Karnataka Lokayukta, Mangaluru division, has begun further investigation into the case. The inquiry will examine whether more officials were involved in the alleged bribery network and whether similar demands were made to other outsourced workers.
The arrested officials will be questioned regarding their roles, past conduct, and potential involvement in other irregularities. Documents related to the complainant’s salary bill, service extension order, and internal correspondence have reportedly been seized for scrutiny. The Lokayukta police are also expected to verify whether the accused officers had made similar demands in earlier cases.
Officers behind the operation
The trap was conducted under the supervision of Kumarchandra, superintendent of police (in-charge), Karnataka Lokayukta, Mangaluru division. The operation was led by Dr. Gana P. Kumar, deputy superintendent of police, who coordinated with inspectors Suresh Kumar P., Bharti J., Chandrashekhar K. N., Ravi Pawar and Rajendra Naid M. N.
The team ensured that the operation followed all legal procedures, including verification of the complaint, preparation of the trap, and documentation of evidence. The Lokayukta stated that such organised efforts are crucial to curbing corruption in revenue and land-related departments, which often see high volumes of public interactions.
Conclusion
The arrest of the three land records officials marks yet another significant action by the Karnataka Lokayukta in tackling corruption within government departments. With an investigation now in progress, more details are expected to emerge on the scale of the alleged irregularities. The case also underscores the vulnerability of outsourced employees, who frequently find themselves dependant on officials for their livelihood, and therefore susceptible to exploitation. The Lokayukta’s swift action has reinforced public confidence in anti-corruption mechanisms and is likely to encourage more individuals to come forward with complaints.