ADM caught red-handed while accepting bribe

During a search of the ADM’s office room, the sleuths also recovered Rs. 40,000.

The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) on Saturday arrested B. Ramachandran, Additional District Magistrate (ADM), Ernakulam, from his official residence for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe in connection with the granting of explosives licences to a fireworks vendor.

Ramachandran, who hails from Karunagapally in Kollam, has been working as ADM Ernakulam for the past seven years.

Rs.1-lakh bribe

VACB officials in plainclothes arrested the ADM around 7.30 a.m. from his official residence at NGO quarters, Kakkanad, immediately after the complainant had handed over Rs. 1 lakh as bribe. The action was on the basis of a complaint lodged by one Linof Joseph, who runs a fireworks shop in Tripunithura.

During a search of the ADM’s office room, the sleuths also recovered Rs. 40,000, allegedly taken from a native of Thirumarady near Koothattukulam for the licence of a petrol bunk.

According to officials, the complainant had approached the ADM for permitting separate licences for raising the quantity of crackers for sale, starting a new cracker shop and opening a room for stocking firecrackers.

The ADM had demanded Rs. 5 lakh for granting the same, which was reduced to Rs. 3 lakh after bargaining. Following this, the complainant had approached the VACB with a video footage of his conversations with the ADM.

“Currency notes marked with phenolphthalein were seized from the ADM’s office chamber, while a test of his palm revealed that he had accepted and handled the marked currency notes,” said Antony, Superintendent of Vigilance. The arrest was made in the presence of two gazetted officers and the procedure has been video-graphed.

Meanwhile, officials said another man had come to the ADM’s residence with Rs. 15,000 to be given as bribe but he fled the scene sensing Vigilance action.

Remanded

Following the arrest, Ramachandran was produced before the Vigilance court in Thrissur and later taken to the Vigilance court in Kozhikode. He was remanded in judicial custody.

District Collector M.G. Rajamanickam has reported the incident to the Revenue Secretary and is awaiting orders from the State government. “Any action, including the probe into earlier decisions made by the ADM, will be based on a direction from the State government,” he said.