Bribe for scrap shop: Municipality employees arrested

WADAKANCHERY: Two municipality employees were arrested by the Vigilance for accepting a bribe of Rs 3000 from an individual who applied for a license to start a scrap shop. The arrested employees are K Jithesh Kumar (52), Clean City Manager and Health Supervisor at the Wadakanchery Municipality, and MB Santosh (52), a sanitation worker. The arrests were made by a team led by Thrissur Vigilance Officer Jim Paul. The employees had allegedly demanded a total of Rs 10,000.

The bribe was demanded from the owner of a scrap shop in Parlikad. He then filed a complaint with the Vigilance. As instructed by the officials, he agreed to pay Rs 3,000 initially. Vigilance officers applied chemical powder to the currency notes and gave them to the complainant to hand over to the officials. After the money was accepted, the Vigilance team arrived, recovered the cash, conducted scientific tests, and arrested the accused. The Vigilance team included Grade SI Baiju, Inspector Aneesh, ASIs Dinesh and Ranjith, and CPOs Ganesh, Lijo, Sibin, and Ratheesh.