Bengaluru Shocker: Businesswoman stripped, forced to pay Rs 25 lakh bribe by CID cop

A woman accused in the Karnataka Bhovi Development Corporation scam was discovered dead at her residence in Padmanabha Nagar, Bengaluru, on Friday morning, in what is suspected to be a suicide, according to a report by Indian Express.

In an 11-page note, 33-year-old Jeeva S alleged that a CID officer subjected her to mental and physical harassment throughout the investigation, including claims of stripping and demands for bribes.

Jeeva's sister, Sangeetha S, has lodged a complaint with the Bengaluru police against CID Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Kanakalakshmi, accusing her of being responsible for the harassment that is believed to have contributed to Jeeva's death.

The report also indicated that Jeeva participated in a CID inquiry on November 14, as directed by the High Court. In her note, she accused DSP Kanakalakshmi of humiliating her, stripping her during the interrogation, and inquiring whether she possessed cyanide. Additionally, she claimed that the officer demanded a bribe of Rs 25 lakh and dismissed the documents Jeeva had provided as evidence.

Kanakalakshmi has yet to respond to the allegations, but a senior officer has confirmed that the charges are currently under investigation, according to a report by Times of India.

The Banashankari police have filed a case against DSP Kanakalakshmi under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which addresses public servants soliciting bribes, and Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to abetment of suicide.

The Bhovi Development Corporation scam, revealed during 2021–22, involved the alleged misappropriation of funds designated for loans to the Bhovi community as part of a government job scheme. Earlier this year, several cases from Siddapura, Doddaballapur, and Kalagi were consolidated and transferred to the CID for investigation.