Kerala's Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau has arrested a Tirurangadi Municipality Health Inspector for allegedly accepting a Rs 10,000 bribe to issue essential business licences for a new hotel and juice shop.
Key Points
- A Health Inspector in Kerala was arrested for demanding a Rs 10,000 bribe for business licences.
- The official, Sreeji S, was caught red-handed by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) near his residence.
- The bribe was sought for issuing municipal licences for a newly opened hotel and juice shop.
- The complainant, an NRI, reported the corruption after facing delays and demands for money.
- The accused has been remanded in judicial custody following his appearance in Kozhikode Vigilance Court.
The Vigilance has arrested a Health Inspector of Tirurangadi Municipality for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000 to issue a licence for a newly opened hotel and juice shop, officials said on Friday.
The arrested person was identified as Sreeji S (39), a native of Kattakkada in Thiruvananthapuram.
He was caught red-handed by a Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) team near his residence in Parappanangadi around 6.45 pm on Thursday while accepting a bribe from the complainant, an NRI, officials said.
Bribery Allegations Emerge
According to VACB officials, the complainant had started a juice shop and a hotel with FSSAI licences on the Chemmad-Kodinhi Road within Tirurangadi Municipality limits in July this year.
Following the commencement of operations, officials of the municipality's Health Department inspected the establishments and informed her that municipal licences were required.
Officials said that after returning to Keralam from abroad, the complainant submitted separate online applications for the two establishments through the K-Smart portal.
The applications were initially rejected due to document-related issues, after which she reapplied.
As the licences continued to be delayed, she approached Sreeji through a friend, who informed her that the official was demanding Rs 10,000 as a bribe, VACB said.
Vigilance Trap And Arrest
When the complainant contacted him over the phone, Sreeji initially agreed to visit the shop to collect the money.
However, he later instructed her to bring the amount near his residence in Parappanangadi.
Unwilling to pay the bribe, the complainant approached the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Vigilance Unit, Malappuram, following which a trap was laid and the Health Inspector was arrested, officials said.
The accused was produced before the Kozhikode Vigilance Court and remanded in judicial custody, officials added.
