Telangana govt official caught taking Rs 1.12 cr bribe

Anti-Corruption Bureau has caught Medak Additional Collector red-handed while taking a bribe of Rs 1.12 crore from a farmer for issuing a No Objection Certificate towards a 112-acre land in Telangana. ACB later raided his residence and 11 other premises belonging to him and seized documents and other items.

Hyderabad: A Telangana government official was caught red-handed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Wednesday while accepting Rs 1.12 crore bribe for official favour in a land issue.

According to ACB, Medak Additional Collector Gaddam Nagesh had demanded the bribe from a farmer for issuing a No Objection Certificate (NOC) in respect of his 112 acre land in Chippalturthi village of Narsapur Mandal.

He had struck a deal with the farmer for Rs 1.12 crore at the rate of Rs 1 lakh per acre. While Rs 40 lakh was to be given in the form of cash, the remaining bribe amount of Rs 72 lakh was to be paid in the form of five-acre land.

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The landowner recorded the conversation with the official and lodged a complaint with the ACB, which laid a trap and caught the official red-handed while accepting the bribe including Rs 40 lakh cash.

ACB officials were carrying out searches at the residence of the official and 11 other premises belonging to him and other employees who were working under him.

ACB Deputy Superintendent from Sangareddy Suryanarayana, who was leading the raids, said that searches were on at the Additional Collector's residence in Medak town and other places.

The anti-graft agency seized documents and other items during the raids. The official said that they would also open the bank lockers of the accused.

Last month, the ACB had arrested a tahsildar in Keesara Mandal near Hyderabad while accepting Rs 1.10 crore bribe in cash from a real estate dealer.

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