Malkajgiri: Chaitanyapuri ASI Poosala Balaiah caught red-handed accepting ₹15K bribe

Hyderabad: Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Wednesday caught Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) red-handed for accepting a Rs 15000 bribe.

Identified as Poosala Balaiah, he was posted at the Chaitanyapuri Police Station under the Malkajgiri Commissionerate.

The accused officer was apprehended by the ACB team while he was in the process of accepting Rs 15,000 from a complainant.

How was the trap laid?

According to the ACB, the complainant had approached the police regarding a pending criminal case. The ASI, abusing his official position, allegedly demanded the bribe in exchange for extending an 'official favour'.

Specifically, the officer promised to alter the sections of the law applied to the case and ensure the matter was settled via a compromise in the upcoming Lok Adalat. The complainant, unwilling to pay the bribe, approached the Anti-Corruption Bureau, leading to a trap being laid.

Chemical test to prove guilty

The ACB sleuths conducted a chemical test on the accused immediately after the handover of the cash. The results were positive, confirming that the ASI had handled the tainted currency notes.

"The bribe amount of Rs 15,000 was recovered from the possession of the accused officer at his instance," the ACB press release stated. The bureau noted that the officer had performed his duty improperly and dishonestly to obtain an undue advantage.

Following the arrest, Poosala Balaiah was produced before the Principal and Special Judge for SPE and ACB cases at Nampally for judicial remand. Investigations into the case are currently underway.

Advisory

The ACB has reiterated its commitment to rooting out corruption within the state’s departments. The Bureau has once again appealed to the public to report instances where public servants demand bribes.

"The public is requested to contact our toll-free number 1064 if any public servant demands a bribe," the release read.