Narayana Swamy
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Apr 16: All these days we have been reading news of Lokayukta raids on state government officials and politicians. But in a surprise development, Saifullah, the editor of Kannada Weekly 'Vismaya' is in Lokayukta net for demanding and accepting bribe from an official in the state survey department!
Reports stated that the editor of the paper was an expert in blackmailing government officials for their alleged bribery cases. He would first gain access to the documents through RTI, and then, armed with the proof, would blackmail the officials. He would demand upto Rs 1 lac for 'not publishing' the facts in his paper. It is learnt that several officers from different departments have already paid the bribe and continued enjoying their 'bribery' games thereafter!
But one Pushpa, from the state legal survey department, had fallen prey to Saifullah's tricks for accepting bribe from common people. Saifullah demanded Rs 1 lac for hiding the facts and not publishing them in his paper. But Pushpa agreed to pay Rs 45,000. Saifullah too agreed to accept the amount as first installment, but he was not aware that Pusha had given a complain to Lokayukta DYSP Girish at the same time.
On Sunday, the Lokayukta team led by DYSP Girish arrested Saifullah red-handed while accepting the money from Pusha at Sagar Hotel, Bangalore.
As the case cannot be filed by Lokayukta against Saifullah under the Prevention of Corruption Act, Lokayukta DIG Arun Chakravarthi has decided to hand over the case to west division of Bangalore Police.
Saifullah has been running his paper for the last 15 years, based in Tumkur.