‘I’ve asked God to punish the corrupt’

BENGALURU: Tejraj Sharma, in July 2017, wrote to the deputy director, public instruction, Tumakuru, saying he had written a letter to God, requesting the almighty to punish corrupt government officials.
Sharma had developed differences with officials of public instruction department, Tumakuru, after a chair he sold them broke on the very first day. “The staff asked him to replace it,” investigating officers said. “Sharma said he will do so only if they help him bag a tender for 15 chairs and tables by the department. The staff refused and Sharma filed a complaint against them with the Lokayukta.”

Sharma was on Thursday remanded by a local court to five days in police custody. Later, he was taken to his house in SS Puram, Tumakuru for investigation. “His single-room rented house is full of books, mostly spiritual ones,” police said. “Otherwise, the house is in a complete mess. Clothes, utensils are scattered all over. His neighbours said Sharma is short tempered by nature and hence avoided him.”

Through the journey, Sharma quoted from the Bhagavad Gita. “The curse of the wronged ones will hit offenders. I am dejected by the ways of government officials. They will reap what they sow. Karma will teach them a lesson,” police quoted Sharma as saying.

A crowd gathered in front of Sharma’s house in Tumakuru. Clad in a T- shirt, his face covered with a towel, he chose to ignore them when they called out his name.