ACB traps Bhadrachalam forest officials for alleged Rs 3.5 lakh bribe in Kothagudem

The Anti-Corruption Bureau trapped Bhadrachalam FDO Shantapuri Sujatha and DRO Bhukya Krishna in Kothagudem for allegedly accepting a Rs 3.5 lakh bribe from a contractor. The officials were caught red-handed at the FDO office following a complaint, officials said.

Kothagudem: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials have trapped two forest officials involved in corruption in Bhadrachalam forest division in the district on Thursday.
Speaking to the media ACB Khammam range DSP, Y Ramesh informed that Bhadrachalam forest divisional officer (FDO) Shantapuri Sujatha, Tegada deputy range officer (DRO) Bhukya Krishna demanded Rs 10 lakh from a contractor.

The duo demanded the money to refrain from booking a case against the contractor who was accused of felling trees in the forest while laying a road, from Pusuguppa to Chhattisgarh borders, sanctioned under left wing extremism (LWE) development works in 2024-25.
As the contractor was not willing to pay Rs 10 lakh bribe, the officials agreed for Rs 3.50 lakh bribe. They were caught red-handed while accepting the money from the complainant at the FDO office, the ACB DSP said.

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The tainted money was recovered from the accused; they would be arrested and produced before the special judge for special police establishment (SPE) and ACB cases in Warangal, he added.