Agriculture department official caught red-handed while accepting bribe in Mangaluru
Mangaluru (PTI): A deputy director of the agriculture department was caught red-handed by Lokayukta personnel while accepting a bribe of Rs 1 lakh.
Bharatamma, deputy director of agriculture, Mangaluru, had asked for the 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 of Dakshina Kannada district.
The complainant, N P Paramesh, 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.
There was an outstanding amount of Rs 50 lakh owed to nursery owners and contractors for the saplings they had provided.
The complainant had contacted Bharathamma on October 4 and requested her to settle the bill.
However, the official demanded a bribe amounting to 15 per cent 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. He later lodged a complaint with the Lokayukta, following which the official was arrested on Saturday.
Lokayukta superintendent of police C A Simon said here on Sunday that 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, B Chaluvaraju, inspector P Suresh Kumar and other personnel.
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President Murmu pays homage to bravehearts who lost lives in Mumbai terror attack
New Delhi (PTI): President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday paid homage to the bravehearts who lost their lives in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack and said India remained firmly committed to defeating terrorism in all its forms.
Ten Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists from Pakistan arrived by sea on November 26, 2008, and killed 166 people, including 18 security personnel, during a 60-hour siege in Mumbai.
"On the anniversary of the cowardly terror attacks in Mumbai on 26th November, 2008, I join the entire nation in paying homage to the bravehearts who lost their lives and expressing solidarity with their families," Murmu said in a post on X.
"A grateful nation salutes its valiant security personnel who made the ultimate sacrifice while protecting our people. It is also the day to reiterate that India remains firmly committed to defeating terrorism in all its forms," the president added.
