Karnataka MLA bribery case: How Lokayukta caught Chandru Lamani accepting Rs 5 lakh commission

The Lokayukta police on Saturday caught Karnataka BJP MLA Chandru Lamani allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 5 lakh.

The first-time MLA from the Shirahatti Assembly constituency in the Gadag district was caught—along with two of his close aides Manjunath Valmiki and Guru Naik—in a bribery case arising from a trap operation by the Lokayukta. 

This follows a complaint filed by a Class 1 contractor from the Minor Irrigation Department, Vijay Poojar from the Gadag district, based on which Lokayukta officials launched the operation to trap Lamani.

How the Lokayukta trapped Chandru Lamani

According to his complaint, Poojar had taken up a project under the Minor Irrigation Department to construct retaining walls on two sides of a road.

When he approached Lamani's office seeking help in carrying out this task, he was faced with a hefty demand of Rs 11 lakh as commission, of which Rs 5 lakh was the advance.

After Poojar's complaint, he returned to hand over the bribe to the MLA's team, which was when the Lokayukta police intervened, and the accused were caught red-handed, and material evidence seized. 

The three accused have been taken to a hospital for medical examination and will later be produced before a court. A case has been registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Soon after they were detained, Lokayukta officials also carried out a search operation at the Balaji Hospital in Lakshmeshwar, said to be linked to Lamani, an Udayavani report said.

This also comes amid the BJP's protests against the state government on corruption, and has triggered a major political stir in the state.

The investigation into the full extent of the alleged bribery case, led by Lokayukta SP Siddalingappa, is ongoing.