Bengaluru, February 22 BJP MLA Dr Chandru Lamani, who was allegedly caught accepting a Rs 5 lakh bribe from a contractor, has been remanded to judicial custody until March 3.
The MLA from Shirahatti, a doctor, was brought from Gadag to Bengaluru on Saturday night and produced before a Special Court for Public Representatives, sources said.
The court remanded Lamani to custody until March 3, and he was subsequently taken to Bengaluru Central Jail at Parappana Agrahara.
He was caught in a Lokayukta trap following a complaint by Vijay Pujar, a Class-1 contractor from Chinchali in Gadag district.
Lokayukta officials said the alleged bribe was linked to Minor Irrigation Department works, including the construction of retaining walls along a road.
The accused had demanded Rs 11 lakh from the complainant to execute the project, and Rs 5 lakh was accepted during the trap.
Along with Lamani, his personal assistants, Manjunath Valmiki and Guru Naik, were also arrested in connection with the case.
Speaking to reporters in the Uttara Kannada district, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said, “The Lokayukta is an independent institution. We will not interfere in its investigation.”
He added that action will be taken based on the complaint registered with the Lokayukta.
