The police inspector posted at Kudremukh in Kalasa taluk in Chikkamagaluru district has been accused of demanding and collecting bribes from homestay owners and harassing local businessmen. The local people have complained to the Home Minister against the official and demanded suitable action against him.
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Police Inspector Ramesh allegedly took money from commercial establishments regularly through Google Pay, a mobile-based application. He allegedly took a bag of tea powder from a tea factory forcibly. A video clip showing the bag of tea powder being loaded into the official vehicle of the police officer has gone viral in the district. The officer allegedly picked up people and demanded money for releasing them, without registering a case.
A group of people from Kalasa, Samse and Kudremukh met Home Minister Araga Jnanendra during his visit to Balehonnur on March 16 and urged him to take action against the police inspector. They said that Chikkamagaluru Superintendent of Police Akshay M. Hakay had not taken action against him though a complaint was submitted a couple of months ago.
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Further, they alleged that the officer had been rude in his conduct with the public and his subordinates in the station. According to their complaint: “He forced a manager of a tea factory to load a bag of tea powder. He always uses abusive language with the public and colleagues. We have evidence to show that he got money transferred through Google Pay.”
A businessman told The Hindu that the local people had not seen such a police inspector in recent years. “If the department conducts a comprehensive inquiry into his affairs, the truth will come out.
Akshay M. Hakay, Superintendent of Police in Chikkamagaluru, told The Hindu, “An enquiry has been initiated against him. It’s being done independently by officers from a different jurisdiction.”