Source India Today
Bengaluru: A sitting MLA from the Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka was arrested by the Lokayukta Police on Friday after he was allegedly caught accepting a bribe of ₹5 lakh during a trap operation, officials said.
According to investigators, the operation was carried out following a complaint by a contractor who claimed the legislator had demanded money to clear pending official work and facilitate approvals related to a local development project. Acting on the complaint, the anti-corruption team verified the allegation and laid a trap at a designated location.
Authorities said the MLA was apprehended while accepting the marked currency notes. The cash was recovered from his possession, and forensic procedures were conducted on the spot to confirm contact with the treated notes.
The accused was later taken into custody and questioned for several hours. Officials registered a case under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. He is expected to be produced before a special court, where the agency will seek custodial interrogation to identify possible links to other alleged illegal transactions.
Senior officials stated that documents and electronic devices were also seized during follow-up searches at premises associated with the legislator. Investigators are examining whether the alleged demand was part of a wider network involving middlemen and public works contracts.
The BJP’s Karnataka unit has not issued a detailed statement so far but indicated it would review the matter after examining official reports. Meanwhile, opposition leaders demanded strict action, calling the arrest proof of continuing corruption in public offices.
The Lokayukta Police reiterated that citizens should report bribery demands and assured confidentiality to complainants as part of ongoing efforts to curb corruption in the state administration.
