Agriculture Department official caught accepting Rs 1 lakh bribe

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Oct 22, 2023: The Deputy Director of Agriculture was caught red-handed by Lokayukta personnel on Saturday while accepting a bribe of Rs 1 lakh.

Reportedly, Bharatamma, Deputy Agriculture Director, Mangaluru had requested a bribe in exchange for processing a bill concerning the funds allocated for acquiring saplings for plantation under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana in Bantwal taluk. The complainant, Paramesh N P, had been serving as a Range Forest Officer (RFO) in the forest department on deputation to the watershed department of the agriculture department, and he had retired from service on August 31.

Consequently, there was an outstanding amount of Rs 50 lakh owed to nursery owners and contractors for the saplings they had provided. Thus, on October 4, the complainant had met with Bharathamma and implored her to settle the bill. However, Bharathamma had demanded a bribe amounting to 15 percent of the total bill for its clearance. On October 20, the complainant revisited her to inquire about the bill, and at that point, she reduced the bribe amount to Rs 1 lakh.

Subsequently, he filed a complaint with Lokayukta. Lokayukta Superintendent of Police, C A Simon, confirmed, "Bharathamma has been arrested and will be presented in court." The operation was executed under the supervision of Lokayukta SP, with the assistance of Deputy SP Kalavathi, Chaluvaraju B, Inspector Suresh Kumar P, and other personnel.