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Meter reader took bribe from restaurant owner to keep water bill low in Bengaluru: Lokayukta

BENGALURU: A Lokayukta police probe has revealed that a Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) meter reader was taking Rs 2,000 mamool every month through UPI payment from the owner of a Kerala-based restaurant and a paying guest owner to reduce the bill. When the owner refused to pay the mamool, the meter reader started increasing the water bill, showing the meter reading seamlessly. The accused is Narasimhappa GV, meter reader in Maruthi Nagar sub-division in the city. According to objections filed by Lokayukta police to the bail application filed by Narasimhappa, he was trapped while receiving a bribe from the complainant, Dels Ditto, who has been running a restaurant and paying guest business in Madiwala. Narasimhappa initially started demanding Rs 40,000 and received Rs 20,000 from Dels Ditto, and asked him to pay Rs 2,000 per month. In August 2024, Ditto refused to pay the mamool, following which he started increasing water bill amount. However, it became inevitable for the complainant to pay the remaining mamool, and accordingly, he paid Rs 2,000 each in April, June, July, August, September 2024 and April 2025 through UPI. In February 2024 and August 2024, Rs 2,000 and Rs 5,000 were paid to his mobile number from the mobile number which belongs to the Dittos manager. In November 2025, the accused tendered the water bill of the restaurant to the complainant for Rs 1.43 lakh. But after receiving Rs 10,000 from the complainant, the accused reduced it from Rs 1.43 lakh to Rs 85,000. On November 17, when the complainant met the accused, he demanded the outstanding mamool of Rs 20,000 over 10 months. Inevitably, the complainant has paid him Rs 5,000 through UPI. Despite this, the accused demanded the balance amount. Unable to pay, the complainant approached Lokayukta police. On November 20, 2025, the accused was trapped and arrested by Lokayukta police after he had obtained Rs 10,000 bribe from the complainant in front of his restaurant.