BJP MLA arrested for graft

B D Narayankar

Bangalore: As the BJP was cooling off its heels by arresting Sri Ram Sene chief Pramod Muthalik for plotting Mangalore pub attack, it faced yet another embarrasment when one of its MLA Y Sampangi was arrested by Lokayukta police for allegedly accepting bribe from a businessman to close a police case relating to a land dispute.

This is the first time in the history of Karnataka Lokayukta that an MLA has been nabbed for accepting graft.

A trap was laid on a businessman's complaint and Sampangi, who represents Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) constituency in Kolar district, was caught while allegedly accepting the bribe amount of Rs five lakh (Rs 50,000 in cash and cheque of Rs 4.5 lakh) at the legislator's home here, Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde said.

The MLA was arrested under Section (7) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. As required, Lokayukta has informed Legislative Assembly Speaker Jagadish Shettar of the arrest, Hegde said.

Lokayukta needs the sanction of the Speaker for filing the charge-sheet.

Hegde said businessman Hussain Mueen Farook lodged a complaint to the Lokayukta that Ilias, Nayaaz and Khana Fiaz had prepared forged documents and attempted to trespass a plot belonging to him. Farooq approached Andersonpet police station sub-inspector, who refused to register the case.

Then the complainant approached the Superintendent of Police, on whose intervention a case was registered against the three persons. Meanwhile, Ilias' wife also lodged a complaint against Farook, claiming the site's ownership. Both cases were being investigated.

Meanwhile, police sub-inspector and circle police inspector suggested to Farook that he meet Sampangi in connection with the cases. Samangi allegedly demanded Rs five lakh from Farook to get the police case against him closed, Hegde said.

Asked whether he was confident of getting a sanction to file a chargesheet against the ruling party MLA, Hegde said: "In view of public reaction, I have no doubt that a responsible government will give sanction".

He said the two police officers who suggested to the complainant that he approach the MLA have also been made accused in the case.