Two KUWSDB officials caught accepting ₹55,000 bribe in Ballari

Two officials of the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWSDB) were caught red-handed by the Karnataka Lokayukta police while allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹55,000 at the Board’s Sub-Division office in Ballari on Friday afternoon.

The officials arrested were Assistant Engineer (AE) Ashok S. and Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) Kashi Vishwanath.

According to the Lokayukta, the complainant, Veeresh, 27, son of Husenappa, who works in the real estate office of Ramaraju, had approached the police alleging that AE Ashok S. had demanded a bribe of ₹55,000 for preparing and forwarding an estimate to higher authorities for providing water supply and sewerage facilities to a proposed residential layout in Survey No. 78/3, measuring 2.47 acres, belonging to Vadde Govindappa on Sanganakallu Road.

Based on the complaint, under Section 7(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, the Lokayukta police laid a trap at around 12.30 p.m. on Friday.

During the operation, the police allegedly caught AE Ashok S. receiving the bribe from the complainant. He was reportedly handing over ₹27,500 to his superior, AEE Kashi Vishwanath, when the Lokayukta team intercepted them. Both officials were arrested on the spot, and ₹27,500 each was recovered from their possession.

The trap was conducted under the guidance of Ballari Lokayukta Superintendent of Police N. Vasudevaram. The operation was led by Police Inspectors Guranna S. Hebbal and Suresh M. Bhavimani, assisted by Lokayukta personnel Chandrashekhar, Vasanth Kumar, Aravind, Anjinappa, Hanumanthappa, Prakash M., Nazeem Shaikh, Gollara Dasappa, Honnurappa K.T., and Harish V., according to an official release.