ACB arrests Jagtial GPO for taking ₹5,000 bribe
JAGTIAL: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday arrested a Grama Palana Officer (GPO) in Jagtial district for allegedly accepting a ₹5,000 bribe from a complainant.
According to an ACB press note dated August 6, 2026, Maathe Rajesh, 37, GPO of Atmakur village in Metpalli mandal, was caught by the agency’s Karimnagar unit at the GPO office in Atmakur.
The ACB said Rajesh demanded and accepted ₹5,000 from the complainant for an official favour related to correction of a name in a patta passbook.
The bureau said the official favour involved submitting to the higher revenue authority an enquiry report prepared by Rajesh on the complainant’s request for the name correction.
Atmakur is a village in Metpalli mandal of Jagtial district. Available village records also show the gram panchayat name as Athmakur.
Bribe money recovered from officer’s handbag
According to the ACB, Rajesh instructed the complainant to put the ₹5,000 in his handbag. The agency subsequently recovered the tainted money from the bag.
The ACB said the relevant part of the handbag tested positive in a chemical test. It alleged that Rajesh abused his official position to obtain an undue advantage by demanding and accepting illegal gratification.
The press note identified Rajesh as a resident of H No. 1-22, Dhampeta village in Kathalapur mandal of Jagtial district.
The Telangana government created Grama Palana Officer posts to strengthen village administration in the Revenue Department.
Accused to be produced before ACB court
The ACB took Rajesh into custody and arrested him. It said he would be produced before the Special Judge for Special Police Establishment (SPE) and ACB cases in Karimnagar.
The case is under investigation. The bureau withheld the complainant’s identity for security reasons.
The ACB appealed to people to call its toll-free number 1064 if any public servant demands a bribe. It said complaints can also be made through WhatsApp at 9440446106, Facebook under Telangana ACB, and X at @TelanganaACB.
The bureau said its QR code is displayed at government offices and prominent public places to enable people to contact it. It added that the identity and details of complainants would be kept confidential.
