Anantapur, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam: The AP ACB raided seven check posts of the Transport and Commercial Tax departments on the state's borders on Monday and found serious anomalies. The ACB sleuths seized unaccounted cash worth Rs 2.55 lakh from seven check posts and arrested 11 private individuals, who were collecting bribes on behalf of officials.
ACB Director General R.P. Thakur said that ACB teams raided all the check posts simultaneously following complaints. The ACB conducted raids on the integrated check post at Bhimulavaripalem of Nellore district (AP-TN border) and two check posts at Naraharipeta and Palamaneru in Chittoor district and seized nearly '1.45 lakh from officials as well as outsiders hired by the staff.
Similarly, at the Purushothapuram check post near Itchapuram of Srikakulam district on the AP-Odisha border, the ACB seized Rs 65,000. An amount of Rs 22,170 was seized at Pondugula in Guntur district and Rs 4,500 was seized at Jeelugumilli in West Godavari district on the AP-Telangana border. Similarly, Rs 14,765 was seized at Penugonda on the AP-Karnataka border.
ACB sources said that check post staffers opened counters far away from their offices with the help of outsiders on both sides of the NH to escape the CCTVs installed at the check post. ACB officials blasted CT officials for engaging in corruption despite drawing huge salaries. They said they will be forced to knock on the doors of CT officers if they fail to change.
The ACB took 11 private individuals into custody from six check posts, excluding the Jeelugumilli check post, who were collecting bribes for check post staff. ACB officials said serious anomalies were found at the check posts and that bribes were being collected with the help of private persons. There was no lighting at the check posts although CCTV cameras were installed. ACB JD Mohan Rao said a report will be submitted to the government for action.
