GP secy denied bail in corruption case

Bengaluru: A special court for cases under Prevention of Corruption Act in Tumakuru refused anticipatory bail to a gram panchayat secretary facing charges of corruption.
Anti-Corruption Bureau sleuths had trapped two government officials. One of them, secretary K Gunasheela, attached to Begur gram panchayat in Kunigal, had applied for anticipatory bail.
The orders were passed by TP Ramalinge Gowda, VII additional sessions and special judge, Tumakuru.Gunasheela was named accused no. 2 in the FIR registered by ACB’s Tumakuru unit on June 1. This was following a complaint by an individual, who accused Gunasheela, Sowmya Prasad, 42, (accused no. 1) and Anasuya Rajanna, 35, (accused no. 3) of demanding bribe for khata transfer. Sowmya is panchayat development officer in Begur; Anasuya is second-division assistant with Kunigal taluk panchayat.
According to the FIR, the three demanded bribe to transfer the khata of a house from the owner to his son. The FIR said Gunasheela had demanded and accepted Rs 2,000. She forced the complainant to pay Rs 10,000 more to complete the paper work. She told the complainant to hand over the cash to Sowmya and Anasuya, the FIR added. Sleuths laid a trap on June 3 and Sowmya and Anasuya were caught with bribe of Rs 10,000. Last week, the court turned down Sowmya’s bail plea.
In Gunasheela’s case, special public prosecutor Basavaraju N argued that her custodial interrogation is necessary for investigation. “The petitioner misused her power as a public servant and indulged in corruption. Reports from FSL are awaited...If the petitioners are released on bail, they may threaten the prosecution witnesses, abscond and hamper the trial.”
The judge said: “Prosecution’s demand for custodial interrogation can’t be brushed away. The petitioner has not produced reasonable grounds for granting bail.” tnn