Karnataka HC rejects bail to IAS officer Manjunath

The ACB had arraigned Manjunath as accused number three in the case, also involving deputy tahsildar P S Mahesh and Chetan, a private person

The High Court of Karnataka on Wednesday rejected bail to suspended IAS officer J Manjunath in the bribery case.

Justice K Natarajan dismissed the petition filed by Manjunath.

The anti-corruption bureau (ACB) had arraigned Manjunath as accused number three in the case, also involving deputy tahsildar P S Mahesh and Chetan, a private person.

The ACB had arrested Mahesh and Chetan on charges of demand and acceptance of bribe amount of Rs 5 lakh in connection with an order to be passed by J Manjunath in his capacity as Deputy Commissioner, Bengaluru (Urban).

During the hearing on the bail petition filed by Mahesh, the bench presided over by Justice H P Sandesh had pulled up the ACB for not including Manjunath as an accused.

The ACB had summoned Manjunath for questioning and arrested him on July 4, 2022. He was immediately placed under suspension.

Manjunath moved the high court after his application seeking bail was rejected by the special court on July 11. Manjunath claimed that though he was not arraigned as an accused on the day the crime was registered, the Investigating Officer succumbed to certain pressures and sought permission to include him as an accused.