The Lokayukta Police have arrested a Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) in Belagavi on the charge of accepting a bribe from a Common Service Centre (CSC) operator.
Based on a complaint by CSC operator Adrushappa Tadasalur, a team led by inspector Niranjan Patil laid a trap for CDPO Laxman Bhajantri. The arrest was made on Saturday.
The complainant had in his letter to the Lokayukta Police said that the accused had demanded ₹50,000 to delete his name from a criminal complaint and help him re-open the CSC centre.
The complaint’s online centre was put under seal by officials after complaints that he was taking money to register names of beneficiaries for government schemes. The complainant had already paid ₹40,000 to the CDPO through UPI mobile applications.
However, despite taking the money, the CDPO did not keep his promise. When Adrushappa Tadasalur demanded his money back from Bhajantri, the accused agreed to return a portion of it.
He was caught when he was returning ₹25,000. Lokayukta Police have seized the amount and the related documents. A case has been registered.
