Bribery Allegations Surface Against SI Over Sand Ramp Deal
PhonePe payment screenshots go viral; police call it a trap by sand mafia
Warangal: Serious allegations of bribery surfaced against the sub-inspector of Chinnaguduru mandal in Mahbubabad district on Monday in connection with a sand ramp deal.
The issue gained attention after screenshots of an alleged digital payment went viral on social media, triggering protests and allegations of wrongful detention of complainants.
According to the complainants, sub-inspector Praveen Kumar allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 1 lakh to facilitate a sand ramp transaction. They claimed that Rs 20,000 was transferred through PhonePe and the remaining Rs 80,000 was to be paid within three days.
The controversy intensified after a local resident, Angoth Balakrishna, and his wife were reportedly taken to the police station shortly before they were scheduled to speak to the media, prompting villagers and family members to gather at the station in protest.
However, Maripeda circle inspector Rajkumar Goud denied the bribery allegations and said the incident was a “premeditated trap” allegedly planned by sand mafia groups.
He said the money was intentionally transferred with a message to create fabricated evidence against the officer, who had been acting against illegal sand mining.
The CI said the SI immediately reversed the transaction after noticing the unauthorised transfer and informed his superiors. He also denied reports that anyone had been arrested.
Meanwhile, locals demanded a high-level inquiry into the allegations and the authenticity of the viral screenshots.
Police said an inquiry had been initiated to examine the claims and identify those behind the allegations.
