Mysore, May 26 (KK&KMC)- Lokayukta sleuths from Bangalore trapped Devaraja Traffic Inspector Ramachandra, while he was accepting a bribe of Rs. 50,000 from Planet-X Legal Advisor Prakash Shenoy at the Planet-X premises in city last night.

Inspector Ramachandra is said to have been frequently telephoning Planet-X Manager Prashanth, seeking to talk to him in private. On May 19, Prakash Shenoy met the Traffic Inspector, who putforth a demand for Rs. one lakh, subtly hinting at bringing disrepute to the business house through hired goons, if not paid the bribe. Prakash then discussed the matter with Planet-X proprietor Panduranga Shenoy and finalised the deal for Rs. One lakh.

Laptops for officers

The reason for seeking bribe, as told by Ramachandra to Prakash Shenoy and Panduranga Shenoy, is that his senior officers had obtained two new laptops, for which he had to pay bills.

When Shenoy offered to buy the laptops for the Police officers, Ramachandra declined, saying that the laptops had already been purchased and only the bills had to be paid by him.

Finally, Shenoy offered to pay the sum of Rs. one lakh on May 26. The Inspector, though agreeing on the date earlier, later called up Prashanth at 6 pm yesterday and demanded to be paid a day earlier (on May 25) and said he would visit Planet-X and personally collect the cash.

The trap

Ramachandra arrived at Planet-X in a white Ford car (KA-09,B-9221) at 10 pm and rang up Prashanth Shenoy, who asked the Cop to come over to office.

Three video-recording cameras were already positioned at vantage points in the office, in concealed spots. Bangalore Lokayukta SP Madhukar Shetty sat in the office, posing as a mere guest or a staff at Planet-X.

After a few minutes of conversation, Prakash Shenoy pulled out a bundle of currency notes (10 notes of Rs. 1,000 denomination and 80 notes of Rs. 500 denomination) and handed it to Ramachandra. Ramachandra, though reluctant at first to handle the cash, seconds later picked up the bundle, put it in an envelope.

While he was in the process of pocketing the notes, Mysore Lokayukta Inspector Krishnakumar and staff pounced on him, catching the culprit red-handed. Ramachandra was interrogated till 12 midnight after being produced before the District and Sessions Judge.

Courtesy : Star Of Mysore