BBMP town planning official trapped while accepting bribe of Rs 20 lakh

ACB officials seized liquor from the accused's residence. Credit: DH Photo

Sleuths also recovered seals in the names of senior BBMP officials. Credit: DH Photo

Anti-Corruption Bureau officials have seized around 120 litres of liquor (mostly Scotch whisky) from a senior official of the Town Planning Department in the BBMP.

Sleuths also recovered 430 files belonging to the department and seals in the names of senior BBMP officials and their respective offices.

On February 5, ACB officials had trapped Devendrappa, assistant director, Town Planning, as he was accepting a bribe of Rs 20 lakh from a person for issuing an Occupancy Certificate (OC).

The person had approached ACB officials since Devendrappa had demanded Rs 40 lakh for issuing the OC for a private firm built on private land in Hulimavu.

Besides seizing the Rs 20 lakh he received as a bribe, officials also recovered Rs 7.4 lakh and around 50 files from Devendrappa’s car.

Continuing the investigation, officials searched Devendrappa’s house and seized the liquor bottles and hundreds of files.

While raiding his house, officials also found several four-wheelers, including SUVs, fixed deposits, cash and accounts in various banks.

A senior ACB officer said the bureau would file a separate case on the seizures made in Devendrappa’s house, while Excise Department officials registered a separate case over the seizure of liquor.

The ACB is already probing about 480 files found in Devendrappa’s possession and various official seals.