2016 bribery case against the then Commissioner of B’lore Rural quashed

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Since a Disciplinary Authority had exonerated him of the allegations of bribery, the criminal case pending before a trial court cannot be permitted the High Court of Karnataka said quashing a case pending against Kotresh H, who was the then Commissioner of Bengaluru Rural District in 2016.

Kotresh H approached the HC with a petition challenging the proceedings pending against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act in the IX Additional District Court, Bengaluru Rural.

One, H Madhu had filed a complaint that he had made an application before the Deputy Commissioner for conversion of agricultural land to residential purposes.

The Revenue Inspector allegedly demanded bribes for this work. Then a Second Division Assistant met Madhu and demanded bribes for himself and Kotresh H. Madhu therefore filed a complaint against Kotresh, the Revenue Inspector and the Second Division Assistant.

Two traps were laid by the Lokayukta in April and May 2015 both of which failed. Then a third trap was laid in which one Muniyappa allegedly accepted the bribe at the insistence of the SDA.

The Lokayukta obtained sanction to prosecute Kothresh and others and filed a charge sheet in the case. A Departmental Enquiry was also instituted against Kothresh on the same set of facts.

He challenged it before the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal which exonerated him and set aside the enquiry on April 1, 2018.

In the light of the exoneration by the Tribunal, Kothresh filed the petition in the High Court seeking quashing of the criminal case “drawing analogy that exoneration by the Tribunal amounts to exoneration by a Disciplinary Authority.”