Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Chandru Lamani was arrested on Saturday by the Karnataka Lokayukta, the state’s anti-corruption ombudsman, after he was allegedly caught accepting a bribe of 5 lakh rupees (approximately $6,000), India Today reported.
The bribe was part of an alleged total demand of 11 lakh rupees, Deccan Herald reported.
Two aides of Lamani, identified as Manjunath Valmiki and Gurunaik, were also taken into custody during the Lokayukta operation, which took place at a hospital run by Lamani in Laxmeshwar town, according to Deccan Herald.
A Lokayukta statement cited by The New Indian Express said the accused had allegedly demanded the bribe from a class-1 contractor in Gadag district to approve construction work assigned by the Minor Irrigation Department, including the building of retaining walls along a road.
“The work included construction of a retaining wall along the road, which had been assigned to the contractor,” the Lokayukta statement said, as reported by The New Indian Express.
The arrests followed a complaint filed under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The Lokayukta laid a trap and apprehended Lamani and his two aides while they were allegedly accepting part of the demanded amount, India Today reported.
The three were produced before a people’s representatives’ special court in Bengaluru and are currently being questioned while further evidence is being gathered, India Today said.
Separately, supporters of Lamani held a protest in Laxmeshwar on Saturday, alleging that leaders of the ruling Congress party in the state were behind a conspiracy, The Hindu reported.
The Karnataka Lokayukta has not issued further comment beyond confirming that an investigation is ongoing.