BENGALURU: The Upa Lokayukta recommended the dismissal of two Ophthalmological Assistants, facing charges of corruption, from service. However, the Government chose instead to decrease the extent of punishment, citing humanitarian grounds. One of the officials is accused of accepting a bribe of Rs 150 while the other demanded a bribe of Rs 250. The Upa Lokayukta’s punishment recommendation was turned down as being too harsh for the amount demanded as well as on humanitarian grounds.
Accordingly, ST Ramesh, working at the Primary Health Centre, Gejjalagere in Mandya, who was trapped accepting a bribe of Rs. 150, will have two annual increments withheld while D Venkateshmurthy, working at the General Hospital in Yelahanka will have his present pay-scale reduced by one increment.
Ramesh had pleaded that he was the victim of a conspiracy hatched by his colleagues and had requested the government to commute his punishment on humanitarian grounds. Interestingly, in his reply to a show-cause notice issued to him, Venkateshmurthy had pleaded innocence, even stating that he was the recipient of the ‘Best Ophthalmological Assistant Award’. The inquiries by the Upa Lokayukta, into both cases had proved that the officials had committed the offence.