An assistant engineer of the Telangana Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (TGSPDCL) was allegedly caught accepting Rs 1.2 lakh in Hyderabad in exchange for approving applications for six new electricity meters, according to Anti-Corruption Bureau officials.
The officer, identified as P Sandhaya Rakesh, works in the TGSPDCL Madannapet Section in Santosh Nagar. ACB officials said the alleged bribe was demanded from a complainant for processing online applications to replace old and missing electricity meters.
The ACB said its officials caught the assistant engineer while he was allegedly accepting the money on Thursday. The agency also said that the bribe amount was recovered from the officer at his instance.
The alleged transaction involved approvals for six electricity meters, making the case directly connected to access to a basic urban utility. Electricity meter applications and replacements are processed through distribution companies, with field-level officials handling parts of the verification and approval process.
After the operation, the officer was produced before the special court for ACB cases in Nampally. According to the ACB, the court remanded him in judicial custody. The allegations will be subject to the legal process.
The case highlights the role of complaint-based enforcement in detecting alleged bribery in routine public-service procedures. The ACB did not provide further details in the supplied report about the applicants, the properties involved or the status of the six meter applications.
The agency urged citizens to report demands for bribes by government officials through its toll-free number, 1064, WhatsApp number 9440446106 or its official social media platforms. The ACB’s stated next step is to pursue the case through the special court process.
