MUNICHIKKAIAH AND OTHERS Vs. BENGALURU ACB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard.

(2.) The petitioner in Criminal Petition No.2946/2018, was working as Panchayat Development Officer and the petitioner in Criminal Petition No.2948/2018, was working as Bill Collector in K. Gollahalli Village Panchayat, Bangalore South Taluk. On 04.04.2018 one-M. Sridhar filed a complaint before the respondent-police alleging that the PDO- Munichikkaiah (petitioner in Crl.P. No.2946/2018) demanded bribe of Rs. 3,00,000/- to issue no objection certificate to KPTCL for the purpose of taking power connection to the complainant's sheds situated at Survey No.11/P12 of Gudimavu village of Bangalore South Taluk. He further alleged that on the direction of the accused - Munichikkaiah, he has paid Rs. 2,00,000/- to one - Ramachandra and the said Ramachandra directed him to pay a further sum of Rs. 1,00,000/- to the accused. He alleged that when he met accused after 15 days, the accused demanded further sum of Rs. 2,00,000/- and out of that, the accused received Rs. 50,000/- through Gram Panchayat Secretary - Srinivas.

(3.) On registering the said complaint against the petitioner in Crl. P.No.2946/2018, it is alleged that on 05.01.2018 a trap was laid in Srinidhi Bar of BDA Complex, Nagarbavi. As per the direction of the accused, the bribe money was paid to the bill collector - Manjunath (petitioner in Crl.P.No.2948/2018) and he passed that money to the hands of the accused. The money was recovered and the hands of the accused were washed in sodium carbonate solution and that was tested positive for phenolphthalein test. Thereafter, trap mahazar was conducted. The petitioners were arrested on 05.01.2018, and they are in judicial custody.