HYDERABAD: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday caught two forest officials allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 3.5 lakh in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district.
According to the ACB, Santhapuri Sujatha, Forest Divisional Officer (FDO), Bhadrachalam, and Bhukya Krishna, Deputy Range Officer of Tegada and in-charge Forest Range Officer of Charla, were caught red-handed by the ACB’s Khammam range team at the Forest Divisional Office in Bhadrachalam.
The accused officials allegedly demanded the bribe from a complainant in return for not registering cases over alleged damage to forest trees during construction of a 2 km BT road from Pusuguppa village in Charla mandal to the Chhattisgarh border. The road work was completed in 2025. They also allegedly assured the complainant that they would not interfere in his present and future works.
The ACB said the officials had initially demanded Rs 10 lakh, which was later reduced to Rs 3.5 lakh after negotiations with the complainant.
The tainted money was recovered from Bhukya Krishna at his instance. Both officials were arrested and produced before the Special Judge for SPE and ACB cases in Warangal. The investigation is ongoing.
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