Dismissed policeman takes bribes from officers posing as Lokayukta SP; arrested

January 5, 2012

Karwar, January 5: Police arrested a 45-year old dismissed police constable, who posed as the Lokayukta Superintendent of Police and took a bribe from officers here on Wednesday.

Murigeppa Kumbara, a resident of Sadalaga in Chikodi taluk of Belgaum was arrested along with his aide Basavanna, a resident of Belgaum, were arrested. Kumbara, a former police constable, had been dismissed from service, police said.

Murigeppa called up officials saying he was the Lokayukta SP and demanded bribe in exchange for not exposing them. Basavanna provided his bank account number for the 'transaction'. Two others - Ashok Tirakannavar and Amar - were also part of the racket. However, Ashok and Amar are already at Hindalaga Jail in Belgaum, police said.

A few days ago, Murigeppa called up an executive engineer of the Engineering Sub-Division of the Zilla Panchayat in Sirsi.

He threatened to expose the alleged irregularities and demanded bribe to bury the issue. However, the engineer - who got suspicious - lodged a complaint with Lokayukta SP D S Jagamaiah.

Later, Jagamaiah lodged a complaint with the city police station about the impostor on December 28. He also gave the mobile phone number from which calls were made.

A team comprising PSI Nischal Kumar, ASI Nayan Babu Kanakonakar and constable Hanumant Kabade scrutinised more than 200 calls made from the number and landed at Chikodi. With the help of the local police, they zeroed in on the culprits.

As many as seven cases had been lodged across North Karnataka against the culprits. They are, Hubli City in 2005, Hubli Suburb in 2006, Belgaum Market in 2007, Gajendragad in 2008, Yalburga in 2009, Aland and Hirekerur in 2010.

Kumbara joined police force as a constable in 1986. Kumbara was accused of misusing the bus warrant. He was dismissed from service after he was found guilty in 1998.

Kumbara had a knack for blackmailing and extorting money from officers. He targeted RTOs, TP EOs and ZP Engineering Division officers. Kumbara, before calling the officials, used to gather information about them. Honest officers would challenge him, but others quietly transferred the money to his account.

However, Kumbara has a word of wisdom: “People who give bribe are as culpable as those who receive them.”

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From malls to highways, Kannada signboards to be enforced in Dakshina Kannada

News Network

February 4,2026

Mangaluru: Urban local bodies and gram panchayats should make the use of Kannada on signboards mandatory while issuing trade licences to commercial establishments, Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner Darshan HV said. He also called for regular inspections to ensure compliance.

Presiding over the District Kannada Awareness Committee meeting at the deputy commissioner’s office, Darshan said the city corporation would be directed to ensure that shops operating in malls prominently display their names in Kannada. “All commercial establishments, including shops, companies, offices and hotels, must mandatorily display their names in Kannada on signboards,” he said.

The deputy commissioner added that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) would be instructed to include Kannada on signboards along national highways. Banks, he said, would be directed through committee meetings to provide application forms in Kannada.

“Even if English-medium schools and colleges impart education in English, their signboards must display the institution’s name in Kannada. Steps will also be taken to ensure that private buses display place names in Kannada,” Darshan said.

During the meeting, committee members raised concerns over the closure of Kannada-medium schools in rural areas due to a shortage of teachers and stressed the need for immediate corrective measures. They also pointed out that several industries employ workers from other states while overlooking local candidates.

Members further demanded that nationalised banks provide deposit and withdrawal slips in Kannada. It was brought to the deputy commissioner’s notice that the presence of staff without knowledge of Kannada in rural branches of nationalised banks is causing hardship to local customers.

Meanwhile, MP Srinath, president of the District Kannada Sahitya Parishat, urged the district administration to allot land for the construction of a district Kannada Bhavana in Mangaluru.

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