In a large-scale crackdown on corruption in Karnataka, the Lokayukta police trapped Chandru Lamani, the BJP MLA from the Shirahatti constituency, while he was allegedly accepting a bribe. The operation, in Laxmeshwar, Gadag district, has rattled the political landscape of the state.
The Red-Handed Trap
The Lokayukta team, under SP Siddalingappa's charge, carried out a tactful "trap" after a complaint from a contractor named Vijay, the authorities said. Vijay alleged that the MLA wanted a total of ₹11 lakh bribe in connection with a contract for roadside retaining walls to be signed. The MLA and his PAs were discovered red-handed while accepting ₹5 lakh as part of payment as commission. Seeking to conceal the evidence during the raid, it was said one of the assistants threw a bundle of cash over the compound wall of a private school behind the MLA’s office, which the officials found and recovered.
Raids on Balaji Hospital and Residence
The Lokayukta team took further action after the trap successfully took place. Simultaneous raids were carried out at Balaji Hospital in Laxmeshwar, which is the property of Dr. Chandru Lamani, as well as his private residence and official offices. Lokayukta officials are also currently scrutinizing multiple government contracts with government documentation and the records of the hospital to see if this was a serial pattern of extortion, or happened in a single incident.
The Accused: A Controversial Record
Dr. Chandru Lamani, a careerist doctor turned political figure, won the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections from the Shirahatti (SC) reserved seat. But his tenure has been beset by controversy.
- Previous Allegations: In early 2025, the MLA came under the spotlight after the tragic suicide of his car driver, Sunil Lamani, at his residence.
- Disciplinary Issues: He was also one of 18 BJP MLAs suspended on account of unruly conduct in the Assembly.
Political Fallout
The arrest of a sitting MLA while accepting a bribe has been a new source of ammunition for the opposition. His immediate resignation has been requested by local leaders, who claim a breach of public confidence. Under the Prevention of Corruption Act, Lokayukta police arrested the MLA and his two assistants for further investigation.
The investigation continues to the extent that it asks whether members of higher authority and department officers or agency engineers got involved in this commission-backed "kickback" racket.
