Village Officer caught red-handed while taking bribe of Rs 2000

KOTTAYAM: A village officer was caught red-handed by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) while accepting a bribe in Ponkunnam, Kottayam. The incident occurred when Ilangulam Village Officer Vishnu was accepting Rs 2,000 as a bribe for processing the mutation of a land property.

Based on a complaint that Vishnu was regularly demanding bribes, the Vigilance department planned a trap and caught him in the act.

The landowner had approached the village office a few days ago to get the property mutation of his land completed. When he met Vishnu, the officer demanded Rs 1,000 as a bribe. Believing the amount to be small and hoping the work would be done, the landowner paid the money. When the landowner visited the office again to follow up on the property mutation, the officer demanded more money. As the demand continued, the landowner informed the VACB.

Following their instructions, the complainant handed over currency notes coated with phenolphthalein powder to the village officer. At that moment, the Vigilance team, which had been waiting nearby, caught the officer red-handed. The arrest was carried out by a Vigilance team led by Deputy Superintendent of Police V.R. Ravikumar, following instructions from Regional SP Vinu R.