Chikkaballapur Lokayukta Traps Village Administrative Officer Demanding Bribe for Land Khata

In a major anti-corruption operation, the Chikkaballapur Lokayukta police trapped and arrested a Village Administrative Officer (VAO) in Sidlaghatta taluk for allegedly demanding a bribe of ₹6.5 lakh from a local farmer to process a land khata. The accused officer, identified as Mohan Kumar, was posted at the Jangamakote Hobli revenue office. According to police sources, a local agriculturalist had approached the revenue office to obtain a formal khata transfer for his land parcel in Jangamakote. However, Mohan Kumar repeatedly delayed the official work and demanded an exorbitant bribe of ₹6.5 lakh to complete the legal process. Unwilling to pay the bribe, the farmer lodged a formal complaint with the Lokayukta Police Station in Chikkaballapur. Acting on the complaint, a Lokayukta team led by Superintendent of Police Antony John laid a trap and caught Mohan Kumar during the operation. The revenue official was immediately taken into custody under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, and relevant office records were confiscated. He was subsequently produced before the judicial magistrate. For residents across Sidlaghatta and Chikkaballapur district, this successful Lokayukta action highlights ongoing efforts to curb bureaucratic corruption in local revenue administration.