Bribe-Taking: ACB Court Convicts DCHS Padmaja For 7-Year RI, Fine of ₹2 Lakh

Vijayawada: The Kurnool ACB court convicted an accused senior official, Dr Madabhushi Sesha Padmaja, to seven years’ rigorous imprisonment for seeking and accepting a bribe in 2019. She has also been slapped with a fine of ₹2 lakh.

Half of the fine must be paid to the complainant as compensation, the court has ruled.

The complainant Sathe Radhika was working as a junior assistant in the office of district coordinator for hospital services in Kadapa district. She was entitled to an annual increment from February 2019. She submitted her applications for this on February 19 and July 5 that year to Sesha Padmaja, the then coordinator for hospital services in Kadapa district. However, Padmaja demanded a bribe of ₹5,000 from the complainant.

Sathe Radhika lodged a complaint with the Kadapa anti-corruption bureau, which then booked a case and caught Padmaja red-handed while demanding and accepting the bribe on August 27, 2019.

After completion of the trial, the ACB court convicted Padmaja. Meanwhile, she retired from service on superannuation about five years ago.