Kochi: The Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau (VACB) on Monday caught red-handed the Revenue Divisional Officer of Muvattupuzha while accepting bribe at his office. V.R. Mohanan Pillai, already facing an inquiry in a case in connection with a resort mafia while posted at Chinnakanal in Idukki, was arrested for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 50, 000 from a person to issue permission for re-erecting a domestic wall near an agricultural land.
Earlier, complainant Mathew V. Daniel of Vazhakulam, had approached the VACB a few days ago, stating the official had demanded Rs 50,000 as bribe for giving permit to re-erect a compound wall in a property near a farm land at Vengachodu near Muvattupuzha. Daniel was the caretaker of the property and the compound wall there had collapsed recently.
While he was engaged in re-constructing the compound wall, the accused official approached him and raised objections citing violation of wetland rules. He also threatened the complainant of informing the taluk surveyor to measure the land as it lies close to a wetland.
“Though the complainant met the officer several times, the latter was unrelenting. Finally he asked the complainant to give Rs 50, 000 for completing the work without any hurdle. Daniel approached us a few days ago and lodged a complaint,” a VACB official said.
The VACB laid out a trap by asking the complainant to hand over chemically treated currencies to the official at his office. A 10-member team led by DySP M.N. Ramesh then stormed into the room and arrested the RDO after catching him red-handed at 1.10 p.m.
The accused pushed the Vigilance officials and threw away the currency bundle in a desperate bid to escape. However, a chemical test later proved that he had accepted the amount. Pillai will be produced before Thrissur Vigilance Court on Tuesday.
