Tahsildar skips Ganesha event preparation to take bribe, trapped by Lokayukta

Dharwad tahsildar Sacchidanand Kuchanoor was arrested on Wednesday night while accepting a Rs 50 lakh bribe from a landowner. The landowner demanded Rs 1 crore and one acre of land to declare 13 acres unfit for farming, in exchange for approving a residential layout. Kuchanoor was apprehended around 9.30 pm as he met the landowner near Karnataka Arts College, Dharwad, after demanding cash.

The land's value has surged to nearly Rs 15 crore due to its proximity to prestigious institutions. Kuchanoor, who had been busy arranging a Ganesha festival and Satya Narayana pooja, attempted to evade officials but was eventually caught and remanded to judicial custody.