In a major development in Dharwad, a head constable and a constable have been caught in a Lokayukta trap for accepting a ₹30,000 bribe in connection with the movement of a sand-laden truck.
The accused police personnel are Head Constable Hasan Sab Nadap and Constable Iqbal Nadap, who have been identified by officials in the district as the two who were reported to have given and accepted money to a truck carrying sand in the direction of Dharwad from Koppal without any action taken against them.
The alleged bribe amount of ₹30,000 was transferred through PhonePe, which will help investigators get a digital trail in the case.
Complaint Leads to Lokayukta Operation
The action was apparently taken following a complaint made by a person identified as Hanumantha, who was from Koppal.
Based on his complaint, the Lokayukta officials are believed to have planned the operation against the two police personnel. The officials allegedly caught the head constable and constable when they were involved in accepting the bribe.
The operation was carried out under the direction of Lokayukta SP Siddalingappa, according to the information available from the incident.
The development has aroused some interest in Dharwad, especially because the alleged transaction involved police personnel and a lot of money.
₹30,000 Allegedly Taken Through PhonePe
The accused personnel asked for ₹30,000 in return for allowing the sand-laden truck to proceed, said the complaint.
The money was transferred through PhonePe, a digital payment platform. That electronic transaction may provide investigators with records that may help establish the circumstances around an alleged bribery transaction.
The Lokayukta team will look into the details of the payment and other evidence gathered during the operation.
The exact nature of the alleged demand, the circumstances in which the money was sought, and the role of each accused officer will be established during the course of the investigation.
Sand Truck travelling from Koppal to Dharwad
The complaint is about a truck carrying sand from Koppal to Dharwad.
The complainant, Hanumantha, approached the Lokayukta after the police personnel asked for money in connection with allowing the vehicle to proceed.
Following this complaint, Lokayukta officials initiated the trap operation. The alleged acceptance of the money then resulted in action against the two police personnel.
Details of the truck, the exact location of the alleged transaction, and the evidence seized during the operation will be revealed later on in the investigation.
Lokayukta Probe Underway
The Lokayukta will conduct a thorough investigation into the allegations against the two police personnel.
Investigators might investigate the PhonePe transaction records, communications and other evidence associated with the alleged bribe demand. Statements from the complainant and other persons associated with the incident are likely to be part of the investigation.
Trap operations are performed to collect evidence in cases of alleged demands for illegal gratification. The accused persons will be allowed to respond to the allegations as the legal process continues.
The incident has once again brought attention to the role of anti-corruption agencies in acting on complaints involving alleged bribery by public servants.
For now, Head Constable Hasan Sab Nadap and Constable Iqbal Nadap are accused of accepting ₹30,000 in connection with a sand truck. The Lokayukta investigation will determine the full circumstances of the case and the evidence against the accused.
