The Karnataka Lokayukta Police has arrested Sachchidanand Kachanur, the tahsildar of Dharwad taluk in Karnataka's northern district, on charges of accepting a ₹50 lakh bribe in connection with land record manipulation. According to officials, Kachanur was apprehended while collecting the bribe money from a complainant during a sting operation conducted by the Lokayukta's anti-corruption squad.
The incident centres on a 33-acre land parcel located within the Dharwad revenue jurisdiction. Kachanur is accused of demanding the hefty sum in exchange for officially altering and rectifying the land records in favour of the person who paid. The alleged transaction reportedly took place over several weeks, during which the Lokayukta team kept严密 surveillance on the tahsildar's movements and communications before executing the arrest during an exchange of money.
A senior Lokayukta official confirmed that both the bribe amount and the individual offering it were recovered during the operation. The case has been registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act, and the accused is currently in judicial custody as the probe continues.
Tahsildars in Karnataka are the chief revenue officers at the taluk level, responsible for maintaining land records, overseeing land assessments, and verifying property-related documents. Their signature authority on land mutation and record correction makes their positions a frequent target for corruption allegations across the state. This case marks another significant crackdown by the Lokayukta, Karnataka's dedicated anti-corruption body established in 1984 specifically to investigate and prosecute graft involving public servants in the state. The Lokayukta has historically been one of India's most active anti-graft institutions, and this arrest underscores its continued focus on financial crimes at the grassroots administrative level.
