Bengaluru: Recent operations by the Karnataka Lokayukta police have netted several officials across various government departments, revealing persistent issues with bribery. Two Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials, identified as Venkatesh, a Revenue Inspector, and Srinivas, a Tax Inspector, were apprehended on Thursday, April 4, 2026, allegedly accepting ₹3 lakh. The bribe was reportedly demanded to expedite pending "khata" (property ownership document) work for a complainant, Nyamathulla Khan. The Lokayukta police reported catching Srinivas red-handed with the money.
In a separate incident, on Wednesday, January 29, 2026, a police inspector, Govindaraju, from the K.P. Agrahara police station, was caught by Lokayukta sleuths while allegedly receiving ₹4 lakh. This amount was part of a larger alleged demand of ₹5 lakh from a builder, Mohammed Akbar, who was facing a cheating case. Govindaraju reportedly threatened to implicate Akbar in the chit fund-related case if the bribe was not paid. A sum of ₹1 lakh had allegedly been paid as an advance on January 24. The trap was set near the CAR Ground at Sirsi Circle.
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Broader Patterns of Alleged Corruption
These incidents are not isolated. The Lokayukta police have conducted multiple operations recently targeting alleged bribery within government bodies.
February 9, 2026: An executive engineer with Bescom, Rajesh K.V., was caught taking ₹3 lakh from an electrical contractor.
March 2, 2026: The Bhadravati Block Education Officer (BEO) and an associate were arrested for allegedly accepting ₹1 lakh to clear an official's salary dues.
November 17, 2023: In Ballari, a Regional Transport Office (RTO) officer and a middleman were caught accepting a bribe.
August 16, 2025: Two police officers from the Ramamurthynagar police station, inspector Rajashekhar and sub-inspector Ruman Pasha, were caught with ₹1 lakh. The bribe was allegedly for registering a report concerning stolen gold articles.
Scrutiny of Investigating Agencies
Despite these arrests, scrutiny has also fallen on the integrity and effectiveness of investigative bodies themselves. On April 1, 2026, a special court in Bengaluru issued sharp criticism against a Lokayukta investigating officer and state government assessing officials. The court cited "serious investigation lapses," "dereliction of duty," and "misleading the court" in a case that resulted in the conviction of V. Muniyappa, a former Managing Director of the Karnataka Council for Technological Upgradation. Muniyappa was found to have accumulated disproportionate assets exceeding ₹4.13 crore.
The Lokayukta’s actions have also drawn attention from higher levels. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah reportedly expressed his dissatisfaction with increasing instances of corruption and misconduct among police personnel during a recent convention of senior police officers. Videos of the K.P. Agrahara inspector's arrest allegedly went viral, sparking public commentary on police corruption.
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The context of these alleged bribes ranges from expediting property document processing and official favours to influencing ongoing criminal investigations. The amounts involved vary, from ₹1 lakh to ₹5 lakh, with some cases involving advance payments and promises of further sums.
