• Excise Addl. Commr. preferred taking his Mercedes Benz for daily office commute instead of official car: Sources 

• Supporters took out a procession after his release from jail in Lokayukta case 

Mysuru: Excise Department Additional Commissioner Dr. Y. Manjunath had served as Mysuru Excise Deputy Commissioner from 2009 to 2013. 

During his tenure, he came under the Lokayukta scanner in a bribery case linked to licence renewals. In July 2012, Lokayukta Police raided him in Mysuru following allegations that he had demanded bribes from bar owners for renewing their licences. 

According to sources, Dr. Manjunath seldom used his official vehicle and instead commuted daily in a Mercedes-Benz car. Sources said that he regularly drove the luxury vehicle to his office in Kuvempunagar while the Government-provided official vehicle remained parked on the office premises. 

Sources further said that the Government-appointed driver assigned to his official vehicle was, on several occasions, instructed to drive the Mercedes-Benz instead. 

Rs. 20 lakh from Janatha Bazaar 

Recalling the events that led to the Lokayukta action, former Janatha Bazar President Chandrashekar told Star of Mysore this morning that Dr. Manjunath had allegedly demanded Rs. 20 lakh for renewal of Janatha Bazaar’s licence.”Janatha Bazaar is a Government institution. I saw no reason to pay Rs. 20 lakh for licence renewal,” Chandrashekar said. “I later decided to approach the Lokayukta. During a telephone conversation, I offered Rs. 15 lakh and recorded the exchange after he rejected the offer.” 

Chandrashekar revealed that he submitted the audio recording to the Lokayukta as evidence, following which the agency initiated action against the officer. 

Procession from jail 

According to reports, Dr. Manjunath spent 11 days in judicial custody in connection with the case. The reports further stated that after his release from Mysuru Central Prison, his supporters took out a procession in his honour. 

It is alleged that Dr. Manjunath wielded considerable influence within the Excise Department and political circles owing to his family and political connections. 

Further allegations have surfaced regarding a bar near Bavali in H.D. Kote Taluk, which sources claim is linked to Dr. Manjunath through benami ownership. The establishment is located close to the Karnataka-Kerala border and is frequented by people from neighbouring Kerala as liquor is banned there.  

Sources alleged that the outlet operates under a CL-7 licence, a category that permits hotels and boarding houses to serve liquor for on-premises consumption. Parcels are not allowed.  

Sources further claimed that this one outlet records unusually high liquor sales reaching one truckload per day.