Kochi Corporation official caught in bribery case granted bail

KOCHI: Swapna, a building inspector with the Kochi Corporation who was caught red-handed by the Vigilance while accepting a bribe, has been granted bail by the Muvattupuzha Vigilance Court. The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau had arrested her on April 30 in connection with the case.

According to officials, Swapna had initially demanded Rs 25,000 to approve a building drawing permit. Following negotiations, the amount was reduced to Rs 15,000. She was apprehended by the Vigilance team in a dramatic operation while allegedly receiving the bribe inside her car.

The investigation has now widened, with Vigilance officials probing whether Swapna amassed wealth disproportionate to her known sources of income. As part of the inquiry, all building permit records handled by her within the Kochi Corporation limits have been seized during recent raids.

Swapna began her government service in 2019 with the Thrissur Corporation and had been serving as a First Grade Overseer at the Vyttila Zonal Office of Kochi Corporation for the past two years. In 2023, she was transferred to Kochi Corporation. Swapna reportedly gained the trust of her superiors quickly and, by virtue of her First Grade Overseer rank, assumed the responsibilities of a Building Inspector. Being stationed in a prime urban area meant numerous building permit applications reached her in a short time. The Vigilance Department is now investigating whether she engaged in corrupt practices in handling those applications.