Two land survey officials held over Rs 70 lakh bribery demand in Bengaluru

Two officials working for the Survey Settlement and Land Records Department were arrested on Wednesday after the ACB raided their homes over a bribery complaint.

Ananda Kumar, assistant director, land records, and Ramesh, a third-party employee of the department, are accused of demanding Rs 70 lakh from a property owner for land survey.

The landowner, a resident of Nagadasapura, had applied for a survey of his land, demarcating its border and preparing a note. The officials in question allegedly demanded 70 lakh, of which he paid them Rs 20 lakh. But when they demanded the remaining sum, he petitioned the Anti-Corruption Bureau.

A preliminary investigation by the ACB yielded some evidence to act against the officials. Accordingly, the corruption watchdog raided the homes of Kumar and Ramesh, as well as those of Kusuma Latha, deputy director, land records, and Srinivas Achar, a surveyor.

In a statement, the ACB said it found Rs 25.3 lakh in cash at Kumar's house, three cheques for a total of Rs 70 lakh and some documents. It also found some documents from Srinivas's house. An investigation is under way.