Forest officer in Telangana ACB’s net over Rs 80K bribe

Hyderabad: A forest range officer in Jagtial district of Telangana was caught on Thursday, June 4, by the ACB for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 80,000, officials said.

The accused officer allegedly accepted the amount as a “reward” from the complainant for facilitating official permission for the felling of 120 teak trees, along with a transport permit, according to an Anti-Corruption Bureau release.

The officer had initially demanded a bribe of Rs 2 lakh, of which the complainant had already paid Rs 1 lakh in cash on May 13, it said.

Later, after the completion of the official work and on the complainant’s request, the officer allegedly reduced the remaining bribe amount to Rs 80,000 and accepted it on Thursday, the ACB said.

The bribe amount was recovered from the table drawer of the accused officer, the agency said, adding that he had “improperly and dishonestly” discharged his official duties to obtain undue advantage.

The accused officer will be taken into custody, arrested, and produced before the court, the ACB added.

The case is under investigation.