Two forest officers, driver held in ACB trap in Vikarabad
VIKARABAD: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on October 17, 2025, caught two Forest Section Officers and an outsourcing driver from the Parigi Forest Range, Vikarabad district, while they were accepting a bribe of ₹40,000 for issuing transit permits.
According to ACB officials, the accused officers Bollumalla Saikumar and Mohd. Moinuddin, both Forest Section Officers, and Balanagaram Balakrishna, a driver working on an outsourcing basis were trapped at their office when they allegedly demanded and accepted the bribe through Balakrishna.
The complainant had approached the officers seeking periodic online transit permits to transport custard apples from the forest area in Parigi Range to the Batasingaram fruit market. Acting on a complaint, the ACB laid a trap and recovered the tainted amount of ₹40,000 from Balakrishna’s possession.
Officials said the trio performed their duties “improperly and dishonestly to obtain undue advantage.” All three were arrested and produced before the I Additional Special Judge for SPE and ACB Cases, Nampally, Hyderabad. The case is under investigation.
The ACB withheld the complainant’s identity for security reasons and urged the public to report bribery demands through its toll-free number 1064 or via WhatsApp (9440446106), Facebook (Telangana ACB), and X (@TelanganaACB). The bureau assured that the complainant’s identity would remain confidential.
