Claiming clout in ACB, conmen rip off tainted govt officials

There is an interesting twist in the corruption charges being investigated by the ACB.

A gang of conmen is said to be extorting money from government officials by promising them a clean chit in cases registered by the Anti-Corruption Bureau.

On Wednesday, the corruption watchdog arrested four such people who allegedly extorted a good Rs 10 lakh from various officials working in the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA). The officials are under the ACB's scanner and have been named in corruption complaints.

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The suspects are Vijay Kumar, Praveen alias Raju, both residents of Banashankari, Chetan, of Nagarabhavi, and Manoj Kumar, of Palace Cross Road. The ACB arrested them after a BDA official facing corruption charges filed an extortion complaint specifically naming Chetan.

The ACB said Chetan would dig up information on corruption complaints against government officials and pass it on to Manoj and Praveen. The duo would then contact the tainted official and promise to bail him out. They would claim that Vijay is close to senior ACB officials and get the clean chit.

Some of the arrested suspects are contract employees in the ACB. They had assured the government officials they know senior officials in the ACB and would help get a clean chit.

In February, an individual named Dharmendra was arrested for extorting money from a KIADB officer facing corruption charges.

ACB officials have asked the public not to believe such conmen.