Karnataka MLA Chandru Lamani Arrested for Alleged Bribery

Lokayukta officials have arrested Chandru Lamani, a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Shirahatti, along with two of his personal assistants, for allegedly accepting a bribe of five lakh Indian Rupees from a contractor. The incident occurred on Saturday at Balaji Hospital in Laxmehwar town during a sting operation by the Lokayukta police.

According to sources from the Lokayukta, Chandru Lamani had purportedly requested a total of 11 lakh rupees as a bribe in connection with a project related to the Minor Irrigation Department. In response to this alleged demand, Vijay Pujar, a Class-1 contractor from Chinchali village in the Gadag taluk, lodged a complaint with the Lokayukta police.

The Lokayukta operation took place around 2:15 PM. Authorities apprehended the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator alongside Manjunath Valmiki and Guru Nayak, both of whom serve as personal assistants to Lamani.

During the raid, it was reported that one of the assistants, Guru Nayak, attempted to dispose of an envelope containing 50,000 rupees by throwing it into a private school's compound behind the hospital. Lokayukta officials confiscated the discarded money as well as an additional 4.5 lakh rupees found at the hospital.

This arrest follows ongoing efforts by Lokayukta authorities to tackle corruption within public offices in Karnataka. The operation was led by Siddhalingappa, who is the Superintendent of Police at the Lokayukta, along with Deputy Superintendent of Police Vijay Biradar and Inspector Paramesh Kavatagi. They have confirmed that investigations will continue as they evaluate the broader implications of this case on governmental integrity.

The ramifications of this incident may impact the political landscape in Karnataka, particularly for the BJP, as the party navigates issues of accountability and transparency in governance.