Vijayawada: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has apprehended a Mylavaram forest section officer, Anduri Ramakrishna, for accepting a bribe of Rs 23,000 from a timber trader.
The officer was caught red-handed through a villager identified as Pendem Suresh, who acted as a middleman in the transaction.
According to ACB officials, a timber trader named Gandipudi Rambabu from Sarukullupadu village in Obulapuram gram panchayat of Reddygudem mandal approached Ramakrishna seeking his cooperation in transporting timber without any hassle. He also requested the officer to refrain from imposing fines on him for the next seven months. Ramakrishna, in turn, demanded a bribe of Rs 23,000 for his 'assistance'.
Rambabu then approached the ACB authorities, who laid a trap to catch the corrupt officer red-handed. On Wednesday, Pendem Suresh, acting on Ramakrishna's instructions, accepted the bribe money from Rambabu. ACB sleuths immediately apprehended Suresh and subsequently arrested Ramakrishna.
