Trapped officials still running free

BANGALORE: In December last year, the Lok Ayukta trapped two CMC Mahadevpura engineers accepting a bribe. Six months down the line, they continue to work in the same capacity in the same place. The wing that trapped the two engineers has not yet forwarded the relevant papers to the government. Nor has it returned the money that was used to trap the engineers.
On Thursday, this lapse was brought to the notice of Lok Ayukta Justice N.Venkatachala, who then summoned Narashimha Murthy, the clerk in the office of the SP. Venkatachala said "The matter was brought to my notice on Thursday. I will ensure that those responsible for this grave lapse are suitably dealt with."
Assistant Executive Engineers N. Nagraj and Assistant Engineer T.C.Kodandram - the son-in-law of former Union minister and MP R.L Jalappa - were trapped on December 21 last year, accepting Rs 20,000 from M.C. Prabhakar Reddy for clearing bills. Reddy recalls how he took the money - in Rs 500 denominations - and went to the Lok Ayukta office of inspector Rajendra.
The inspector filed the official papers, gathered other sleuths and prepared the trap. They waited in ambush outside the CMC office, Mahadevpura, and trapped Kodandram,who collected the money on behalf of Nagraj. The police collected the money paid as bribe from Kodandram and administered the hand wash to confirm he had indeed accepted the money. Since then nothing has been done.
Reddy claims he has made close to 50 visits to the police wing in Lok Ayukta urging them to punish the guilty.