A major corruption scandal has occurred in Mandya district, where officials from the Excise Department allegedly demand bribes to approve bar licenses. A Congress party worker, Puneet, has filed a complaint with the Mandya Lokayukta, claiming that his repeated attempts to secure a CL 7 bar license were thwarted due to his refusal to pay bribes.
Despite submitting all required documentation, Puneet alleges that his application was rejected four times for not complying with the officials’ demands for money. The complaint includes audio and video evidence of the bribe demands made by Excise DC Ravishankar and Maddur Excise Inspector Shivshankar. According to the media reports, the initial bribe demanded was Rs 40 lakh, later reduced to Rs 20 lakh after a “50 per cent discount.”
Even after this reduction, the officials allegedly continued to pressure him, with one of them reportedly stating, “Don’t ask for Mrishtan (food), give him at least Grihalakshmi (cash).” The audio evidence provided by Puneet allegedly implicates Mandya District In-charge Minister Chaluvarayaswamy. According to Puneet’s complaint, the officials clarified that license bribes were fixed under the minister’s leadership, with the payments being referred to as “monthly money” extorted from applicants. The conversation also hints at the minister’s possible involvement in the extortion racket, further escalating the scandal.
The complaint includes a recorded conversation between Puneet and the excise officials, explicitly discussing the bribe amounts. Puneet claims that the officials also insisted that the bribe was not just for higher-ups but also for subordinate staff involved in processing the application. The audio and video evidence has been submitted to the Lokayukta and is crucial to confirm the allegations of widespread corruption within the Excise Department. The allegations have sparked outrage among local political leaders, with the Mandya Lokayukta investigating the matter.
Opposition leaders have criticised the government for failing to take action against the corrupt officials, demanding their immediate resignation. Activists also call for a complete overhaul of the excise licensing system to ensure transparency and prevent such corruption from recurring. The JD(S) party has strongly criticised Minister Chaluvarayaswamy, accusing him of complicating the corruption.
The party has posted serious allegations on social media, claiming that the excise department’s officials, allegedly operating under the minister’s instructions, had set fixed bribe rates for granting bar licenses. The JD(S) has used the audio evidence to accuse the minister of sharing in the proceeds of this corruption, further inflaming the political tension surrounding the issue.
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