Ranga Reddy Joint Collector accused of 8 lakhs bribe, out on bail
Hyderabad: Mannem Venkat Bhoopal Reddy, the Joint collector in the Ranga Reddy district of Telangana, who was caught by Anti-Corruption Bureau(ACB) in a bribery case has been granted bail by the local court, as it reportedly finds fault with the video evidence. ACB Hyderabad in August 2024, trapped a subordinate official and subsequently nabbed Bhoopal Reddy in the graft case.
On August 12, 2024, at around 8:45 pm, ACB trapped, Y Madan Mohan Reddy, who was working as Senior Assistant, E Section, Ranga Reddy District Collectorate,Kongarakalan, at Gurramguda cross Road near Sanjeevani Vanam when he demanded and accepted the bribe amount of Eight lakhs from the complainant Jakkidi Muthyam Reddy in his car.
“The tainted official demanded a bribe to process and get the complainant’s work by influencing his higher officials i.e., to remove the 14 guntas of land from the Prohibited list in Dharani website,” said ACB at the time of arrest.
After he was caught and questioned, Madan Mohan Reddy informed ACB that he demanded the bribe on behalf of MV Bhoopal Reddy, Joint Collector. Further, ACB laid a trap for MV Bhoopal Reddy, at about 10:41 PM, he was caught red handedly near Peddamberpet Outer Ring road(ORR) in his official vehicle. The bribe amount of Rupees Eight Lakhs was recovered from the car of MV Bhoopal Reddy, Joint Collector.
Subsequently MV Bhoopal Reddy approached ACB court seeking bail and filed a bail petition. The advocate for the petitioner Boopal Reddy found fault with the video which is said to be taken at the time of apprehension of Bhoopal reddy and presented as evidence in the court. “The petitioner is not seen in the entire video as it is completely dark and that even the polythene bag containing the cash does not appear. Further, an audio and video conversation was recorded after the trap of Madhan, when the ACB officials made Madhan call the petitioner there was no conversation from Madhan and that he intended to meet Bhoopal to hand over the bribe amount.”
ACB opposed the bail
In his counter ACB opposed the bail petition and informed the court that “Investigation is at budding stage and several other witnesses are to be examined. It is also stated that, this petitioner has earlier worked as a Personal Secretary to a Minister and having acquaintance with many politicians and leaders and he is a very influential person and if he is released on bail, there is likelihood of the petitioner may intimidating, influencing the witnesses or tampering the evidence,” and requested to dismiss the petition.
The court observed that “The entire video clipping, Bhoopal was not interested in meeting Madhan and he was on his way to some other place. Although Madhan confessed that he was acting on the direction of Bhoopal Reddy but when ACB officials asked him to call Bhoopal there was no conversation about the bribe amount. From the above, it is not clear whether this petitioner demanded and accepted the said amount. Furthermore, in the initial complaint and FIR it was registered against only Madhan, but not Bhoopal,” the court noted.
Principal Special Judge for trial of SPE & ACB Cases, Hyderabad directed the petitioner to be released on bail on his executing a bond for One lakh with two sureties. Further, the court ordered the petitioner to appear before ACB on every Monday and Friday in between 10.00 AM and 2.00 PM for Six months or till filing of charge sheet whichever is earlier. Further directed the petitioner to deposit his passport and ordered not leave the country without prior permission from the court.
