HYDERABAD: There seems to be a bigger corruption racket behind tainted Bachupally deputy tehsildar B Sridevi, who was caught red-handed by the anti-corruption bureau officials on Monday while accepting a bribe of `3 lakh. Sleuths are now saying that Sridevi had assembled together her own ‘revenue department team’ that went around collecting money from aggrieved parties in need of official favours.
Sridevi was produced in court on Wednesday and investigating officials are likely to question more revenue staff in Bachupally, who allegedly took advantage of rising land prices in Bachupally. The sleuths are now looking into other illegal activities that could have happened in the past.
Deputy police superintendent Suryanarayana says Sridevi had deliberately created complications between two parties and demanded `5 lakh to resolve the problem.
“The accused officer deliberately created and complicated the issue between two parties regarding issuance of No Objection Certificate. She demanded money from both parties saying a share has to be given to village revenue officer among others,” he said.
The issue was over open plots in Bachupally while the disputing parties, both, belonged to erstwhile Qutbullapur mandal. Sridevi has been suspended from service and the RDO has been directed to conduct an internal inquiry and submit a report to Bachupally mandal office.
The investigation officers, who arrested the woman deputy tehsildar and produced her before the court, are likely to question some more revenue staff working in Bachupally mandal office in connection with the bribery activities taking place in the office.
Another scandal
A woman working at the Yadadri district collectorate was arrested by sleuths from Central Crime Station for cheating people to the tune of `2 crore in the name of chit funds business. Lingala Sudha, the accused officer, is of tehsildar rank. She was arrested after multiple victims came forward with complaints.