VISAKHAPATNAM: The executive officer of temples at Padmanabham area, Karakachettu Polamamba Temple, Hanuman Temple and Shiridi Sai Temple, landed in Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) net after he was caught accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000, all in the new Rs 2,000 denominations, from a contractor, here on Saturday.
The EO has been identified as P Satyanarayana Murthy. According to sources, N Ravi Kumar, a lighting contractor who decorates temples with electrical lamps for festivals, has submitted a bill claiming Rs 1.6 lakh to Satyanarayana Murthy, for decoration at Sai Baba temple in Seethammadhara during the Navaratri celebrations. Satyanarayana Murthy had reportedly demanded a bribe of Rs 50,000 from the contractor for clearing the bill and also offered to sanction more contracts in the future at Karakachettu Polamamba temple.
The officials said that Ravi has given a blank cheque as bribe to the EO asking him to draw Rs 50,000.
However, due to demonetisation, the EO had asked for payment in cash. The deal was then settled for Rs 30,000 to get his blank cheque back along with a nod to the contract at Polamamba temple. Ravi then approached the ACB authorities.
The ACB officials after verifying the facts, laid a trap and arrested the EO red-handed while accepting the bribe from the contractor, inside the Shiridi Sai temple, on Saturday. Cases have been registered.