BENGALURU: An FIR was registered against two journalists from a Kannada monthly magazine for extortion at Kengeri police station on Thursday.
The case was filed based on a complaint by C N Ashok, an executive engineer from the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout (NPKL) division of the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA). In his complaint, Ashok alleged that journalists Sharath Babu and Gurumurthy, claiming to represent a Kannada monthly, accused him and his subordinates, Assistant Executive Engineers Ashok Bhagi, Varun, Parashuram B H., and Jayadeep H P of accepting bribes, executing substandard work.
According to the complaint, the duo allegedly demanded Rs 27 lakh from Ashok in November 2024, threatening to file a complaint with the Lokayukta if he failed to comply. Later they visited his office and instead demanded the construction of a shed in Ramanagara as an alternative option, which was recorded by Ashok.
On December 10, 2024, Babu sent a WhatsApp message attaching a Lokayukta complaint form that included the names of the assistant executive engineers along with another retired engineer. Later, on March 25, he sent another message warning that he would add Ashok’s name to complaint.
Ashok further said that Babu allegedly warned that since Ashok had not complied with his demands, he would use RTI to obtain project details and take action against him.
“Babu and Gurumurthy have been misusing RTI to gather unrelated information and blackmail us for payment,” Ashok stated in his complaint.