A surveyor from the Land Survey Department in Kundgol has been slapped with a four-year prison sentence today after a high-stakes bribery case reached its conclusion in the Dharwad courts. We saw the 3rd Additional District Sessions Special Court deliver the crushing blow to Raghavendra Shankarrao Kulkarni for demanding money to perform his basic duties on February 21, 2026.
The law finally caught up with him. Our sources confirmed that Judge Zarina handed down the ruling, which includes a ₹20,000 fine in addition to the mandatory jail time.
What led to the surveyor’s downfall?
The case dates back to a plot of land in Shiroor village belonging to Mallikarjunagowda. He had submitted a formal application for a land measurement and podi work, only to be met with a demand for a ₹15,000 bribe from the accused officer.
Justice served cold. According to the court records and public reports PublicNext Dharwad.
How did the Lokayukta trap him?
The setup was cinematic. On June 3, 2019, at exactly 4:00 PM, Lokayukta police moved in on Raghavendra at the KSRTC canteen in Kundgol while he was caught red-handed accepting the cash.
One specific figure tells the whole story. The investigation led by Inspector B.A. Jadhav proved that the officer demanded nearly 100% of the bribe amount before he would even touch the file. We talked to those close to the case who noted that Special Public Prosecutor S.S. Shivalli successfully argued that the evidence against the official was insurmountable.
Zero tolerance for corruption. The Dharwad court’s decision sends a loud message to all public servants that “speed money” will eventually lead to a prison cell.
