The Kurnool unit of Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) trapped Gudur Tahsildar for demanding ₹4 lakh bribe to clear land documents on Thursday night. While an accomplice has been arrested, the tahsildar is still at large and the officers are on the hunt.
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Speaking with the Hindu , ACB DSP M. Nagabhushanam said that the tahsildar, identified as Haseena Bee, demanded ₹4 lakh to move the documents from disputed land status. “4.38 acres of land was in dispute. However, the dispute was resolved and put up to sale,” the DSP added.
The complainant, D. Suresh, approached the tahsildar and produced all the relevant documents to purchase the land. But the officer demanded ₹8 lakh from Mr. Suresh to clear the documents.
Mr. Suresh then bargained the price down to ₹4 lakh and approached the ACB. The ACB in a bid to trap the tahsildar asked Mr. Suresh to set up a meeting with Ms. Bee and give her the money. However, the officer refused to take the money at the office.
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She told Mr. Suresh to head to Panyam bus stand, about 90 kilometres away from her office, to give the money to an accomplice, identified as Mahboob Basha.
The officers, along with Mr. Suresh went to Panyam bus stand and spotted Mr. Basha. The transaction took place under the watch of ACB officers, and Mr. Basha was immediately apprehended after the money changed hands on Thursday night.
Later, after interrogating Mr. Basha, the sleuths came to know that Ms. Bee was in Kurnool city. However, she had already absconded.
The ACB has registered a case on both the tahsildar and her accomplice, and are currently searching for the tahsildar.