Udupi Treasury Officials Arrested in Lokayukta Bribery Sting
Udupi: In a significant breakthrough in the fight against corruption, the Lokayukta police apprehended the Deputy Director and an Assistant of the Udupi Treasury on Saturday for allegedly soliciting a bribe from a retired teacher. The accused, Deputy Director Ravi Kumar and Assistant Raghavendra are reported to have demanded a sum of ₹5,000 to expedite the release of pension funds for Hithendra Bhandari, the complainant.
Mr. Bhandari, a retired educator, had been diligently pursuing his pension for the past five months without success. Frustrated by the delay and the demands for a bribe, he decided to approach the Lokayukta police for assistance. Upon receiving his complaint, the Lokayukta team acted swiftly and arranged a sting operation to catch the officials in the act.
The operation was orchestrated under the supervision of Acting Udupi Lokayukta DySP Manjunath, in collaboration with Mangaluru Lokayukta PI Suresh and other team members, including Nagaraaj, Sateesh, Prasanna, Ramesh, Sooraj, Sudheer, Raghavendra, Pushpalata, and Mallika. The team successfully executed the trap, apprehending Ravi Kumar and Raghavendra while they were in the process of accepting the bribe.
This incident highlights ongoing concerns regarding corruption within government departments and the challenges faced by citizens in accessing their rightful entitlements. The Lokayukta’s prompt action not only demonstrates their commitment to eradicating corruption but also serves as a warning to other officials who may engage in similar misconduct. Further investigations are expected to ensue as the Lokayukta seeks to address this troubling issue.