Police Commissioner N Achuta Rao on Tuesday appeared before the Principal and Sessions Rural District judge here as a witness in a piracy case.

Nelamangala police had arrested Syed Noorulla of Dobbespet for selling pirated cassettes at the Tyamagondlu fair in 2001. Inspector Puttaswamy and Constable Ramachandra Murthy had demanded Rs 5,000 for his release. As advance, Noorulla paid them Rs 1,500.

Lokayukta officials trapped them while they were accepting bribe.