Two days after Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) official M.R. Hiremath, booked by the Lokayukta police on charge of accepting a bribe to denotify a piece of land, was allowed to resume office, and sanctioned leave, the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) issued a suspension order against him.
DPAR Deputy Secretary Ujjwal Kumar Ghosh confirmed that suspension orders had been issued following his judicial custody for over 48 hours. The BDA had come under criticism for allowing the tainted official to resume charge after being released on bail.
Mr. Hiremath, a special land acquisition officer, was trapped by the Lokayukta police for allegedly demanding and receiving a bribe of Rs. 5 lakh, the first instalment of the Rs. 20 lakh he had sought to denotify one acre and 16 guntas in Thanisandra. He was in judicial custody till November 24, following his arrest on November 16. Though this was brought to the notice of the Chief Minister’s Office, the DPAR took action only after it drew flak.
