JOIN USThe officer allegedly accepted Rs 10,000 from his subordinate for revoking an order. The Lokayukta police also raided Puttaswamy’s residence from where Rs 1.65 lakh and gold ornaments were recovered, sources said.
The Lokayukta cornered the SP on a complaint lodged by constable P P Prakash. Prakash had opted for voluntary retirement a few months ago, but Puttaswamy gave him compulsory retirement. The constable then approached his superior seeking revocation of the order, but the SP allegedly demanded bribe for it.
Prakash complained to the Lokayukta police that Puttaswamy had already taken Rs 25,000 from him and was demanding Rs 10,000 more.
Following the complaint, a trap was laid. Prakash approached his superior and had a brief talk with him before handing over the money. The Lokayukta sleuths arrested Puttaswamy at his office at Kolar.
Puttaswamy claimed innocence and termed his arrest a conspiracy. “The constable requested me to revoke the order. Before leaving, he took out a packet from his pocket and kept it under my writing pad. By then a witness came in, followed by the Lokayukta police sleuths.
“The police made me drench my hand in a bucketful of water to prove that I had held the chemical-laced packet. The police claimed that the colour of water had turned red, but it was not true as I did not even touch the packet,” said Puttaswamy.
The constable had been absent for months on health grounds. An inquiry was held against him and he had failed to give appropriate answers.
“It’s true that he had applied for voluntary retirement, but how can I consider the request when the applicant with poor service records deserved dismissal. Yet, pitying him I gave him compulsory retirement. This is nothing but a conspiracy,” said Puttaswamy adding he would fight it out in the court.