Dharwad: Dharwad tahsildar Sachchidanand Kachanur, arrested by the Karnataka Lokayukta police on charges of allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 50 lakh, was remanded to 14 days of judicial custody by the Lokayukta Special Court in Dharwad on Thursday.Kachanur was produced before the court a day after being caught red-handed during a late-night Lokayukta operation near Karnatak College in Dharwad. After hearing the case, the court ordered that he be sent to judicial custody till Oct 1.Following the court’s order, Lokayukta police shifted the accused officer to Dharwad Central Prison. Investigations into the alleged bribery case are continuing.The operation is being described by Lokayukta officials as one of the biggest anti-corruption traps in Karnataka, involving the recovery of Rs 50 lakh in cash from a serving revenue officer.Rs 1 crore allegedly soughtAccording to Lokayukta sources, Kachanur allegedly demanded a total bribe of Rs 1 crore in two instalments of Rs 50 lakh each, apart from seeking one acre of land, to facilitate changes in the title records of a 33-acre property in Yerikoppa village, about 12km from Dharwad along the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway.The landowner, whose identity has been withheld, reportedly approached Lokayukta police after the alleged demand was made. Based on the complaint, officials registered a case and asked the complainant to cooperate in a trap operation.Late-night operationThe complainant allegedly contacted the tahsildar and asked him to collect the first instalment of Rs 50 lakh near Karnatak College in Dharwad. Lokayukta officials maintained surveillance at the designated meeting point.At around 10pm on Wednesday, Kachanur allegedly arrived at the location and accepted the cash from the complainant. The Lokayukta team immediately intercepted him and caught him red-handed with the alleged bribe amount.The cash was seized in the presence of panch witnesses, and the accused officer was taken into custody after the completion of initial legal formalities.Probe under wayLokayukta police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the alleged demand, the role of any other persons involved, and the land records related to the Yerikoppa property. Officials are also examining documents linked to the mutation and title transfer process.The case has drawn statewide attention as it is considered one of the largest cash seizures in a Lokayukta trap involving a tahsildar in Karnataka.
