SHIVAMOGGA: The Lokayukta police on Monday trapped the principal of a government residential school in the district while he was allegedly accepting a Rs 10,000 bribe for admitting a student to Class 7.
The accused, identified as Namdev, is the principal of Kittur Rani Chennamma Residential School in Hunasekatte village of Bhadravathi taluk.
According to the Lokayukta, the complainant, Megharaj C (35) alleged that the principal had initially demanded Rs 20,000, purportedly under the pretext of purchasing a drum set, to admit his daughter to Class 7. Unwilling to pay the bribe, the complainant approached the Shivamogga Lokayukta police on July 18.
Based on the complaint, police registered a case under Section 7(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as amended in 2018. During a trap operation conducted at about 12.20 pm on Monday, Lokayukta officers caught Namdev while he was allegedly accepting Rs 10,000 from the complainant in his office at the school. The tainted cash was seized, officials said.
The accused was taken into custody for questioning, and further investigation is being conducted by K P Rudresh, police inspector at the Shivamogga Lokayukta Police Station.
The operation was carried out under the supervision of M S Kaulapure, Lokayukta Superintendent of Police and led by B P Chandrashekhar, Deputy Superintendent of Police, with assistance from Lokayukta police personnel.