The Lokayukta police arrested Kothanur police inspector Purushottam for allegedly demanding a bribe and accepting it through a constable. The trap laid by the Lokayukta police turned dramatic as the constable snatched Rs5 lakh cash from the bribe-giver and sped away on a motorbike.
The complainant, Dr Girish, had told the Lokayukta police that Purushottam was demanding the bribe to release his relative, Babu, detained illegally in an unnatural death case at the police station.
Along with Babu, the Kothanur police had also picked up Deepika and Nagaraj for the unnatural death of Deepika’s husband Naveen Kumar. Naveen’s father had filed a complaint with the Kothanur police, alleging the role of Deepika and Babu in the death.
Dr Girish approached the inspector, saying Babu was not responsible for the death. “Mr Purushottam let his constable talk about the money in his presence which is recorded. Later, the complainant was asked to come with Rs5 lakh on Thursday evening. A witness was sent along with the complainant for the trap,” an official said.
But the inspector grew suspicious about the stranger and asked Dr Girish to come alone later. Lokayukta police say the inspector immediately called his constable Manjunath to take the money away. When Girish was walking out, Manjunath snatched the cash bag and sped away in the motorcycle.
The lokayukta police arrested Mr Puroshottam for graft and also for robbery, registered with the Kothanur police. Purushottam was produced before the special court and remanded to judicial custody till August 21. Manjunath was not traceable.