Hassan: Lokayukta police arrest ACF in bribery case

Lokayukta police arrested B. Sathish, Assistant Conservator of Forests (Vigilance) in Hassan, on charges of accepting a bribe in a forest guest house on Tuesday night. The officer allegedly received ₹15,000 through a mobile payment service.

The police took him into custody while he was at the forest guest house at Gendekatte forest park near Hassan, based on a complaint by Akhilesh, an astrologer from Arasikere taluk.

The police said that the forest vigilance squad had registered a wildlife case against Akhilesh. The accused ACF had demanded money from Akhilesh to file a report favourable to him so that he could be relieved of the charges. He allegedly received the money in two instalments through mobile payment service.

The accused was arrested as he received the second instalment of ₹10,000 on Tuesday from the guest house. Interestingly, the Forest Department staff, unaware of the issue, informed the police, suggesting that the officer had been kidnapped from the guest house. Hassan police made efforts to trace the official. Soon they learnt that the ACF was in the Lokayukta police custody.

The official has been remanded in judicial custody.