IOC official booked in bribery case has deposit of Rs 29 lakh, liquor bottles found

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Alex Mathew, the deputy general manager of the Indian Oil Corporation Ernakulam office, was arrested yesterday by the vigilance while accepting bribe. He has fixed deposits and liquor bottles were found in his possession. Alex Mathew was arrested on the complaint of gas agency owner Manoj of Kadakkal in Kollam and a resident of Pandits Colony in Kuravankonam. He was caught while receiving a bribe of Rs 2 lakh from the gas agency owner's house in Thiruvananthapuram last evening. The vigilance team also seized Rs 1 lakh from his vehicle. It is suspected that he had accepted a bribe from someone else on his way to Thiruvananthapuram.

The vigilance found that Alex Mathew having a deposit of Rs 29 lakh. During a search conducted at his house in Kochi, the vigilance team seized the documents of the deposit. The officials said that a large stock of liquor was also found in his house. Some other documents of financial transactions have also been seized from his house in Kochi. The Vigilance team also conducted a search at the IOC office in Kochi last night. It is hinted that Alex Mathew had been receiving bribes since appointed assistant manager of IOC. The vigilance is investigating whether there are more complaints against Alex.

Manoj is running a gas agency of Indian Oil Corporation at Kadakkal in Kollam in his wife’s name. Two months ago, Alex Mathew called him to his house. He demanded a bribe of Rs 10 lakh for not transferring the customers of the gas agency of Manoj to other agencies. Manoj replied that he could not pay the money.

Alex Mathew later gave about 1200 connections from Manoj’s agency to another agency. He called Manoj again and told him that he is coming to Thiruvananthapuram and asked him to pay the amount. Manoj soon informed the special investigation unit superintendent in Poojappura. Alex Mathew was caught by the vigilance as part of operation spot trap.