An Anti-Corruption Bureau operation in Hyderabad has led to the arrest of a Telangana Southern Power Distribution Company Limited assistant engineer who was allegedly accepting Rs 1.2 lakh to approve applications for six new electricity meters, according to ACB officials.
P Sandhaya Rakesh, assistant engineer at the TGSPDCL Madannapet Section in Santosh Nagar, was allegedly caught accepting the money on Thursday. The bribe was reportedly sought from a complainant in connection with online applications to replace old and missing electricity meters.
The ACB said its officials recovered the alleged bribe amount from the officer at his instance. The operation followed the complaint regarding the alleged demand for payment in return for processing and approving the meter applications.
The case places the focus on the administrative process through which households and other electricity consumers obtain or replace meters. The applications in this case related to six new meters, with the complainant seeking replacements for meters described as old and missing.
Following the operation, the assistant engineer was produced before the special court for ACB cases at Nampally. The court remanded the officer in judicial custody, according to the report citing ACB officials. The allegations will be subject to the legal process.
The ACB has asked citizens to report demands for bribes by government officials through its toll-free number, 1064, or WhatsApp at 9440446106. Complaints can also be submitted through the bureau’s official social media platforms.
The action highlights the role of complaint-based anti-corruption operations in public utility services, where approvals and service connections can affect access to electricity. In this case, the ACB’s stated next step is to proceed with the case after producing the accused before the special court. No further details about the six applications or the wider investigation were provided in the supplied report.
