IOC DGM arrested while receiving bribe; asked for 10 lakhs to prevent transferring customers to other agencies

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Indian Oil Corporation DGM Alex Mathew was arrested by the Vigilance while accepting a bribe from a gas agency owner. Alex Mathew was arrested on a complaint by Manoj, the owner of a gas agency in Kadakkal, Kollam. Manoj had filed a complaint that Alex had demanded a bribe of Rs 10 lakh to prevent him from transferring customers to other agencies.

He was arrested when he went to Manoj's house in Kowdiar to collect Rs 2 lakh, which was his share of the bribe money. Vigilance officials who were hiding caught him at the same house. Vigilance is also conducting a raid at Alex Mathew's house in Kadavanthra. Alex Mathew will be arrested today and produced in court.

Manoj owns several gas agencies under IOC. However, many of Manoj's customers had been transferred to other new gas agencies. Alex Mathew demanded that he would transfer about 20,000 more customers and that he be paid to avoid doing so. For this, he demanded Rs 10 lakh. It was agreed that the money would be paid when he reached Thiruvananthapuram today. However, Manoj informed the Vigilance about this.