KOCHI: Vigilance has arrested Ernakulam RTO TM Jerson and two middlemen for demanding a bottle of liquor and money as bribe to renew the permit of a private bus. An unaccounted amount of Rs 60,000 and 49 bottles of liquor were recovered during a raid at the RTO's flat in Edappally. In addition to the bribery case, the vigilance will file a report to register a case for illegally accumulating wealth. The arrested agents are Saji and Ramapadiyar, natives of Ernakulam.

Jerson demanded Rs 25,000 and liquor from the bus owner's manager, a native of Chellanam, to renew the permit. The agents were caught first while accepting Rs 5,000 and a liquor bottle on the RTO's behalf.

The permit of the private bus operating on the Chellanam-Fort Kochi route expired on the 3rd of this month. Although an application was filed to renew the permit, the RTO only issued a temporary permit. The manager visited the office several times, but the permit was not renewed. Then, as instructed by Jerson, Ramapadiyar met the manager and told him to pay Rs. 25,000 to another agent, Saji.

The manager informed Vigilance Ernakulam Central Unit SP S. Sasidharan about this. As instructed by the Vigilance, the complainant gave Saji Rs. 5,000 and a bottle of liquor yesterday morning. At this time, Ramapadiyar was with Saji. When both of them were caught red-handed and questioned, they confessed that they had taken the money to give to the RTO. Jerson was arrested after collecting more evidence.

The accused will be produced before the Muvattupuzha Vigilance Court today. There is also a possibility of filing an excise case against the RTO for possessing more liquor than permitted.