TUMAKURU: Tejraj Sharma (33) of Tumakuru, who stabbed Lokayukta Justice Vishwanath Shetty, seems to have a dubious background of blackmailing government officials by filing cases with the Lokayukta office.Tejraj, who was living in a small room in Someshwarapura locality in the town, was into the business of supplying furniture to government offices through his ‘Ambe Kripa 1 Marketers’. On Wednesday afternoon, when the police, led by Superintendent of Police Divya V Gopinath, visited his room, they found books related to black magic and concentration of mind. The room was later sealed.
Tejraj’s father late Roopchand Sharma of Pali district in Rajashtan had migrated along with his family to Tiptur three decades ago. He had three sons, the youngest being Tejraj, and worked as a cook in hotels. Around 15 years ago, the siblings shifted to Tumakuru. Tejraj’s eldest brother Jagadish Sharma works as a tours and travel agent with SRS Travels while another brother Purushotham Sharma sells bags on M G Road in Tumakuru.
His brother describes him as an introvert and short-tempered person. “He used to visit us once in a while. He would have tea and leave,” said Purushotham Sharma,who lives with his mother.Those who were at the receiving end of his tactics said he had filed several cases against officials. Deputy Director of Public Instruction Manjunath said Tejraj had lodged a complaint with the Lokayukta against him a year ago on baseless charges.
“He had supplied three rotatable chairs to senior officers in our office and 10 normal ones for `29,000. We had actually cleared the bills against the supply. But three months later, one of the chairs broke and we found it to be of poor quality. I spoke to him to get it replaced for which he had sought more favours in the form of ordering schools to buy furniture from him”, the officer explained.“He used to blackmail me for no reason over phone”, he added. He also clarified that he had replied to the Lokayukta notice and the case was closed.
The list of officials against whom Tejraj had filed complaints with the Lokayukta include a second division assistant at the DDPI’s office Shivashankar, purchase officer Mahadevappa and manager Dr Chandrappa in Tumakuru Milk Union, clerk at the industries and commerce department, Kumar, among others.