Land records official arrested for ₹70 lakh bribe

He demanded the money to conduct the survey of a property

The Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested an Assistant Director of Land Records (ADLR) and his assistant, a contract employee, for allegedly demanding a bribe and accepting an advance of ₹20 lakh from a landowner who needed his land surveyed.

The landowner owns property on the outskirts of Bengaluru. He had approached ADLR Anand Kumar to get his land surveyed based on a High Court direction. The officer allegedly demanded ₹70 lakh to survey the land, and took ₹20 lakh in advance.

Unable to pay the remaining amount, the landowner approached the ACB and filed a complaint. Based on the complaint, the ACB registered a case under Prevention of Corruption Act, and raided the residences of Kumar and a contract employee, Ramesh. They found ₹25.3 lakh in cash and cheques for around ₹70 lakh, as well as other documents.

ACB searched the houses of a senior officer and a surveyor for their possible involvement. Anand Kumar and Ramesh were arrested.

The investigation is ongoing, said an ACB official.

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