Mysuru: The Lokayukta Special Court has sentenced a Tahsildar, who was trapped while receiving bribe for issuing ‘Podi Katha’ to a person, to seven years imprisonment besides imposing a penalty of Rs. 50,000 on him. Raghumurthy, who is currently serving as Tahsildar in Bengaluru, is the one who has been sentenced.

Raghumurthy, who was serving as a Shirastedar in Mysuru in 2011, was trapped by the Lokayukta Police near Ramakrishnanagar Circle here, while accepting a bribe of Rs. 50,000 to issue records pertaining to 3 acre of land in Survey No. 13 of Madahalli village in Yelwal Hobli, Mysuru Taluk on Sept. 21, 2011.

Raghumurthy had demanded Rs. 4 lakh from one Ramesh to transfer the land records and issuance of ‘Podi Katha,’ and had asked Ramesh to pay Rs. 50,000 as first instalment. Following the demand, Ramesh approached the Lokayukta, who caught Raghumurthy red-handed while accepting the bribe on Sept. 21, 2011.

Later, the Lokayukta Police submitted a charge-sheet against him. Lokayukta Special Court Judge Sudhindranath, who heard the case on Monday, sentenced Raghumurthy to 7-year jail term besides imposing a penalty of Rs. 50,000.

Special Public Prosecutor Kaliyanda Muthamma Poonacha argued for the State.