Warangal: An Assistant Engineer (AE) of Tribal Welfare Department, called Bandi Venkanna was trapped by the sleuths of Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). He was caught red-handed while accepting an amount of Rs 20, 000 as bribe from a contractor, Banoth Sunil at his residence at Sudhanagar in Hanamkonda on Thursday.
The ACB DSP, R Saibaba said the accused official demanded the amount to clear pending bills related to the works executed by the contractor. The complainant, Sunil, who completed the works eight months ago, has been asking Venkanna to clear the bills. But the AE denied doing so without getting the bribe.
Vexed up with the Assistant Engineer’s attitude, the contractor approached the ACB. Sunil stated that he executed repairs works worth Rs 25 lakh at social welfare hostels and schools in the district and the AE demanded Rs 25,000 to clear the bills and in the past, he has already taken Rs 15,000.
However, the accused official Venkanna has denied the allegations and claimed that he in fact refused the bribe. He alleged that a government teacher, Vasanth Naik was executing government civil works using Sunil as a benami. “They have come to my residence few days ago forcing me to clear the bills with a threat of getting me trapped by ACB otherwise,” he added.
Venkanna was arrested and would be produced before the ACB special court in Hyderabad, Saibaba informed.
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