SUSPENDED IAS OFFICER REINSTATED

Bengaluru (02.11.2022): The Karnataka government has reinstated J Manjunath (IAS: 2010: KN), who was arrested on bribery charges this year, and appointed him as special officer and ex-officio joint secretary to the health and family welfare department.

Manjunath was arrested by Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials in July over bribery allegations. He was then the Bengaluru (urban) deputy commissioner (DC).

In May 2021, ACB officials arrested deputy tahsildar Mahesh P S and contract worker Chetan after they were allegedly trapped while receiving a bribe of Rs 5 lakh to get a favourable order from the deputy commissioner’s court over a land dispute.

In September, a special court granted default bail to Manjunath.after the ACB failed to file a charge sheet within 60 days as stipulated.