Bribe trap in AP: Two cops, MEO caught red-handed by ACB in Kadapa & Srikakulam

Kadapa/Srikakulam: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Monday caught two police officers in YSR Kadapa district and a Mandal Educational Officer (MEO) along with a data entry operator in Srikakulam district red-handed while demanding and accepting bribes in two separate cases.

All four accused have been arrested and produced before the respective ACB courts.

In YSR Kadapa district, ACB officials registered a case against Nallapalli Venkata Ramana, Circle Inspector of Police, Pulivendula Rural Circle, and Dasari Anil Kumar, Sub-Inspector of Police, Simhadripuram Police Station, under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The case stemmed from a complaint lodged by Gurram Brahmaiah, a two-wheeler consultancy businessman from Ananthapuram. Brahmaiah had sold a motorcycle that was later allegedly used by a buyer involved in multiple chain-snatching cases, including one registered at Simhadripuram Police Station.

According to the complaint, the CI and SI summoned Brahmaiah and allegedly demanded Rs 7 lakh to avoid implicating him in the criminal cases. The amount was later reduced to Rs 3.5 lakh, with Rs 2 lakh allegedly demanded from Brahmaiah. Out of this, Rs 50,000 was reportedly collected earlier.

On Monday, the SI was caught red-handed while accepting the remaining Rs 1.5 lakh bribe at Simhadripuram Police Station, allegedly at the behest of the Circle Inspector. Both officers were immediately arrested.

Searches are being conducted at their residences and offices, including the police station. The accused were produced before the ACB Court in Kurnool.

The CI, initially appointed as SI in 2007 and promoted as Inspector in 2018, had previously faced suspension in 2023 before being reinstated. The SI was appointed in March 2025 and was serving in his first posting.

In a separate case in Srikakulam district, the ACB arrested Kuramana Appa Rao, Mandal Educational Officer (MEO), Itchapuram Mandal, and Uppada Kameswara Rao alias Kamesh, a contract Data Entry Operator in the same office.

The case was registered following a complaint by Vejendla Neerakshana Rao, a retired Secondary Grade Teacher who superannuated on December 31, 2025. He had submitted all required documents in January 2026 for processing his retirement benefits, including gratuity, commutation, and GPF.

However, the pension papers were allegedly not forwarded to the Sub-Treasury Office. The complainant alleged that the Data Entry Operator initially demanded Rs10,000, of which Rs 7,000 for himself and Rs 3,000 for the MEO. Later, the MEO himself allegedly demanded Rs 3,000, stating the benefits would not be processed without payment.

On Monday, ACB officials trapped both accused while accepting Rs 10,000 from the complainant at the MEO office. Both were arrested and are being produced before the ACB Court in Visakhapatnam.

The MEO was appointed as School Assistant in 1996, promoted as Headmaster in 2009, and later as MEO in 2017. The Data Entry Operator has been working on contract since 2006.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau has urged citizens to report instances of bribery or corruption through its toll-free number 1064, mobile number 94404 40057, or via email at complaints-acb@ap.gov.in.

Officials reiterated that strict action will be taken against public servants indulging in corrupt practices.