ACB arrests former Bengaluru DC J Manjunath in bribery case

The Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials arrested J Manjunath, former Deputy Commissioner of Bengaluru Urban, in a case of bribery. The officials arrested him on Monday on the charges of demanding a bribe from a land owner recently.

Manjunath is a promoted IAS officer.

Following the allegations against him and the High Court's observation of the ongoing investigation of ACB officials, the state government had transferred Manjunath from DC Urban and posted him as Director of Integrated Child Protection Scheme.

DC Manjunath is considered accused number three in the case. Following the complaint of Azam Khan, a land owner from Begur, the ACB officials nabbed two persons working in the DC office on May 21.

The arrested were deputy tahsildar Mahesh and a court assistant Chetan Kumar; they were caught red-handed while taking Rs 5 lakh bribe. Khan had filed a complaint against Manjunath, but he was initially not considered as the accused. According to sources, both Mahesh and Chetan have stated that they collected bribes on behalf of Manjunath. The ACB officers had earlier questioned Manjunath, but did not arrest him.

Khan had filed a petition regarding 38 guntas land in Kodly village of Anekal taluk in the deputy commissioner court which deals with the cases of revenue appeals and miscellaneous. The litigation was pending before the court, the accused persons had demanded around Rs 15 lakh bribe to rule the case in his favour.