Karnataka: Commercial tax deputy commissioner caught taking Rs 6 lakh bribe
Hubballi (Karnataka) (PTI): The Deputy Commissioner of the Commercial Tax Department, Bharath Kumar Hegde, was caught on Monday while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 6 lakh, Lokayukta officials said.
Hegde, 48, was trapped while receiving the money from Ankola-based businessman Vishwajit Nayak, 53, following a complaint lodged with the Lokayukta, Bengaluru Lokayukta Superintendent of Police Shiv Prakash Devaraj told PTI.
“Acting on a credible complaint, our team conducted a trap and caught the accused officer while accepting Rs 6 lakh,” he said.
According to officials, Nayak had purchased eight tipper trucks in 2019 and was eligible for an Input Tax Credit (ITC) of around Rs 60 lakh, of which he had claimed Rs 34 lakh.
The Commercial Tax Department had registered a case alleging that the ITC was claimed illegally and had initiated an inquiry.
Nayak had been summoned four times earlier for questioning and was called again earlier on Monday.
It is alleged that the officer demanded a bribe of Rs 10 lakh, but finally settled for Rs 6 lakh to close the case.
“A team led by Bengaluru Lokayukta SP Shiv Prakash Devaraj carried out the operation and secured the accused during the transaction,” a Lokayukta official said.
“We have registered a case, and the investigation is in progress,” he added.
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Siddaramaiah, Vijayendra lead charge for Bagalkote
Bagalkote (Karnataka) (PTI): Poll-bound Bagalkote on Monday witnessed a high-decibel electioneering with both ruling Congress and opposition BJP attempting to woo the voters.
The by-poll to Bagalkote and Davanagere South assembly constituencies will take place on April 9. The elections were necessitated following the demise of sitting MLAs H Y Meti (Bagalkote) and Shamanur Shivashankarappa (Davangere South).
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday reached Bagalkote to campaign for Meti’s son Umesh Meti, who will have a direct contest with BJP’s Charantimath.
Sporting a vermillion on his forehead, Siddaramaiah addressed a public meeting in the district headquarters town of north Karnataka.
Recalling the works done by H Y Meti, he appealed to the people to vote for the Congress candidate and Meti’s son Umesh Meti.
Siddaramaiah also told the audience about the five guarantees of the Congress government, which empowered the citizens of the state.
According to him, the Congress supported the Below Poverty Line families through the five guarantees and indirectly gave them the benefit of Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 a month.
He also hit out at the BJP, alleging that there was no development in the state during their reign from 2019 to 2023 in Karnataka.
Touching upon the issue of raising the height of Almatti Dam on Krishna river, Siddaramaiah alleged that the BJP government at the Centre stalled it by not issuing a gazette notification.
“Even after 13 years, the Centre did not issue the gazette notification. You must understand this. There is the BJP government at the Centre and now in the opposition. Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and I met the central ministers several times but to no avail,” he alleged.
Siddaramaiah called on people to ask BJP candidate Charantimath, why it has not been notified in the gazette.
The BJP leaders and workers on Monday took out a march in the city holding party flags, posters and banners. They raised slogans in favour of the party candidate.
Speaking to reporters, Vijayendra expressed confidence that voters will bless the party and ensure the victory of its candidate Veeranna Charantimath in Bagalkote assembly bypoll, regardless of who campaigns in the constituency.
He said support for the BJP is steadily increasing in the constituency and party workers are actively engaged in campaigning from early morning.
The Shikaripura MLA said the political atmosphere in Bagalkote is in favour of the BJP and asserted that Charantimath would win by a comfortable margin.
“No tactics or conspiracies of the Congress will work,” Vijayendra said.
Referring to the role of the ruling party, the BJP state chief alleged that despite Bagalkote being the district that gave Chief Minister Siddaramaiah a ‘political rebirth’, it has been neglected by the government.
Siddaramaiah had contested the 2018 assembly election from the Badami assembly segment in Bagalkote district and won.
He said voters are aware of the ground realities, irrespective of speeches made during the campaign.
Alleging misuse of power, he said the Congress is "attempting to influence" voters using money and muscle power, but added that “aware voters” have decided to support the BJP.
Replying to a question on campaign dynamics, he described Charantimath as a "people-friendly" leader and claimed that even some Congress members want him to win. “When even Congress members want him to win, there is nothing wrong if others also support him,” he said.
He further claimed that in Bagalkote and Davangere South seats, some Congress workers are indirectly supporting the BJP.
“Anyone who works for the victory of the BJP candidate will be welcomed,” he said, adding that the election results will reflect the internal situation within both parties.
