Abdullapurmet Tahsildar, surveyor caught accepting ₹20 lakh bribe in Rangareddy district

A Tahsildar and a Mandal Surveyor from Abdullapurmet mandal in Rangareddy district were caught by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Monday (October 12) in connection with a ₹20 lakh bribe. The bribe was demanded for conducting a land survey and issuing a joint inspection report required for a layout under Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) guidelines.

The accused were identified as B. Sudershan Reddy, Tahsildar of Abdullapurmet, and Batuka Srinivasulu, Mandal Surveyor.

According to the ACB, the two officials had initially demanded ₹30 lakh from the complainant for conducting the survey and issuing the Joint Inspection Survey Report. The amount was subsequently negotiated down to ₹20 lakh.

Acting on a complaint, ACB officials laid a trap near Abdullapurmet, where Srinivasulu was caught accepting ₹20 lakh on the instructions of the Tahsildar.

The entire bribe amount was recovered from Srinivasulu’s possession. A chemical test conducted on his fingers yielded positive results, indicating that he had handled the bribe money, the ACB said.

The bureau stated that both officials had acted dishonestly in the discharge of their public duties by demanding and accepting money in exchange for an official favour. Both officials are being arrested and produced before the Principal Special Judge for SPE and ACB Cases at Nampally, Hyderabad.

The identity of the complainant has been withheld for security reasons. Further investigation is underway.

The ACB appealed to the public to report demands for bribes by government employees through its toll-free helpline, 1064, or WhatsApp number 9440446106.