Mangaluru: Lokayukta police have arrested Mulla, the Village Accountant of Aranthodu, while he was accepting a bribe amounting to Rs 5,000. The bribe was tied to the expeditious processing of a file.

The incident came to light when a complainant filed a report with the Lokayukta, outlining his experience. The complainant's situation revolved around a land document pertaining to a 1.35-acre property in Aranthodu, previously owned by his deceased father. The title deed of the land was jointly held by the complainant's mother, sister, and himself.

Narrating the sequence of events, the complainant revealed that on March 5, 2023, he had approached the Village Accountant to inquire about the status of his file. Regrettably, he was informed that the file was not available at the time. Undeterred, he made another visit to the Sullia taluk office on July 24, seeking information about the anticipated timeline for acquiring the much-needed no-objection certificate. During this interaction, the Village Accountant allegedly communicated that the process could be expedited for a fee ranging from Rs 8,000 to Rs 9,000. Succumbing to the pressure, the complainant initially provided an advance payment of Rs 3,000 to the Village Accountant.

However, as the urgency persisted, and the complainant returned to the Village Accountant on August 17, he was faced with an additional demand for Rs 5,000. The situation took a turn when the Lokayukta authorities intervened, catching the Village Accountant red-handed as he accepted the Rs 5,000 bribe on a Saturday. The arrest marks a significant stride towards curbing corruption within the local administration.