Bengaluru Excise Officials Caught Red-Handed in Rs 25 Lakh Bribery Sting
Lokayukta sleuths made a dramatic arrest in Bengaluru on Saturday. They caught a deputy commissioner of excise and two of his colleagues taking a bribe. The amount was a staggering Rs 25 lakh. The officials demanded this money to clear liquor and microbrewery licences.
The Arrest and the Trap
The arrest happened around 12:30 PM. Lokayukta officials trapped the accused inside the deputy commissioner's chamber. This chamber is located at the Bengaluru Urban district excise office on Mysuru Road.
The arrested individuals are:
- Deputy Commissioner of Excise Jagadeesh Naik, aged 57.
- Superintendent of Excise Thammanna KM, aged 41.
- Excise Constable Lakkappa Gani, aged 31.
A Lokayukta team led by Superintendent of Police Shivaprakash Devaraju laid the trap. This action followed a specific complaint from an individual. The complainant alleged that the trio demanded money to issue a CL-7 licence. This licence permits the serving of liquor in hotels and boarding houses. They also demanded a bribe for a microbrewery licence.
Details of the Bribery Demand
According to Lokayukta police, the initial demand was huge. Deputy Commissioner Naik allegedly asked for Rs 80 lakh to clear the licences. After some negotiations, the amount was reportedly fixed at Rs 75 lakh. Out of this, Rs 50 lakh was to be paid as an advance.
The complainant filed his official complaint on January 16. He stated that he met Naik in November. He sought permission to start a microbrewery at Hulimavu on Bannerghatta Road. The application documents were handed over to Superintendent Thammanna.
On January 6, the complainant paid the official government fees. This amount was Rs 14.6 lakh, paid online. He informed Naik that all formalities were complete. It was then that Naik demanded the bribe.
Allegations of Wider Corruption
The complainant made serious allegations. He claimed Naik said the money "must reach the minister and other officials" for the work to be done. Thammanna reportedly told him that issuing a microbrewery licence could cost around Rs 1.5 crore. He listed several officials as potential beneficiaries. These included senior excise and revenue officers.
The complainant was given a clear warning. The licence would not be issued unless he paid the demanded amount.
Evidence and Legal Action
The complainant took a smart step. He recorded his conversations with the officials on his mobile phone. He then transferred the audio files to a pen drive. This pen drive was submitted as evidence along with his written complaint.
Based on this strong evidence, Lokayukta police registered an FIR. The case is under the Prevention of Corruption Act. It names Naik and Thammanna as the primary accused.
A senior Lokayukta officer confirmed the arrest. "We arrested all three accused while they were accepting the bribe," the officer said. Investigation into this corruption case will continue.
