Village field assistant arrested for taking bribe, assets worth Rs 1.06 cr recovered from his residence

MANNARKAD: Vigilance sleuths arrested V Suresh Kumar, a native of Thiruvananthapuram's Chirayankeezhu and Palakkayam village field assistant, who took a bribe of Rs 2500. In a raid at his residence in Mannarkkadu, Rs 1.06 crore were found.

According to Vigilance DySP Shamsuddin, who led the inspection, this includes Rs 35 lakh, bank fixed deposit of Rs 45 lakh, savings deposit of Rs 25 lakh and 17 kg of coins.

This is the highest amount found in a vigilance raid in the state. The inspection was on the special instructions of the Vigilance chief. Vigilance raid was also conducted at Suresh's house in Chirayinkeezhu.

Vigilance headquarters had received a tip-off and complaint against Suresh Kumar. He took bribe was taken to issue the location certificate of of 45 acres of land at an Adalat in Mannarkkadu yesterday. The land belongs to a Manjeri native. When he called Suresh after knowing that the file was in his possession, he asked to bring a bribe of Rs 2500 to the place where the Adalat was held. The complainant informed this to the vigilance. He was caught while taking bribe in Suresh's car at the Adalat venue.

Suresh Kumar had earlier taken bribe on behalf of the same property. Rs 10,000 six months before the certificate that the property is not in LA title, Rs 9,000 five months before the possession certificate and Rs 500 when applying for the location certificate.

Inspectors Philip, Farooq, SIs Surendran, Manoj, policemen Manoj, Satish, Sanesh, Santhosh, Balakrishnan, Manoj, Uwaiz and Mannarkad CI Bobin Mathew also participated in the inspection.