Mangaluru: Lokayukta officials arrested Mangaluru Tahsildar Purandar Hegde and First Division Assistant of Mangaluru Taluk office Shivanand Natyakar for allegedly demanding bribe for issuing a NoC for the sale of a land in Kavoor.

The arrested were produced before the court which remanded them in judicial custody. A resident of Kavoor had submitted an application seeking NoC from tahsildar for the sale of land three months ago. Shivanand Natyakar had placed a demand for a bribe of Rs 5,700 for issuing the NoC.

Following the complaint from the resident, the Lokayukta Mangaluru division officials trapped him while accepting bribe of Rs 4,700. He had claimed that the bribe was a share between him and Tahsildar. The investigation is in progress, said Lokayukta officials.

In fact, this is the first raid conducted by the Lokayukta after it was strengthened and given power by the government.