In a stunning crackdown on corruption, Karnataka Lokayukta officials on Friday nabbed a police inspector from Bengaluru’s KP Agrahara station red-handed while accepting a massive Rs 4 lakh bribe. The officer, identified as Inspector Govindaraju, was trapped in a meticulously laid trap at the CAR Grounds on Mysore Road.
The bribery scandal unfolded in connection with a chit fund fraud case registered under the Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Act, 2019. Govindaraju allegedly demanded Rs 5 lakh from complainant Akbar to remove his name from the case. He had already pocketed Rs 1 lakh on January 24, leaving the balance Rs 4 lakh as the final payoff.
Lokayukta SP Shivaprakash Devraj detailed how the team surveilled the officer and sprung the trap as he collected the bribe near Chamrajpete CAR Grounds. ‘We caught him in the act,’ Devraj confirmed, emphasizing the zero-tolerance stance against graft in law enforcement.
Drama ensued post-arrest. Videos circulating online show Govindaraju turning violent, shouting obscenities, and resisting custody. Six Lokayukta personnel were needed to subdue the raging inspector, who created a scene amid the operation.
Prior to the trap, Govindaraju had led an arrest raid on the chit fund accused at a plot where resistance was met. The suspect protested the lack of notice, demanding legal counsel. After station negotiations, the bribe deal was struck, sealing his fate.
Govindaraju now faces charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act and has been remanded to judicial custody. This high-profile bust underscores ongoing efforts to cleanse Karnataka’s police force of corrupt elements, sending a strong message to bribe-takers in uniform.
Authorities urge citizens to report similar malpractices, promising swift action through dedicated anti-corruption channels.