Hyderabad:
An executive engineer, associated with Telangana’s Tribal Welfare Engineering department, was arrested on Monday after being caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 84,000, police said.
According to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), the arrest followed a complaint from an individual who accused K Jaga Jyothi of soliciting a bribe in exchange for an official favour. The ACB conducted a swift operation and captured the official in the act of receiving the specified amount.
A video of K Jaga Jyothi crying after being caught is now viral on social media.
Tears of regret don’t help; need to weigh in on actions & consequences before you become a party to it: #Telangana Tribal Administration Officer Executive Engineer Jagath Jyothi caught redhanded by #ACB taking bribe of Rs 84,000 in Tribal Administration Building @ndtv@ndtvindiapic.twitter.com/fpGItKM28C
— Uma Sudhir (@umasudhir) February 20, 2024
K Jaga Jyothi, underwent the phenolphthalein test, with her right-hand fingers testing positive. When phenolphthalein, a chemical compound, breaks down, it turns pink, making it a valuable tool in catching bribe recipients. When someone handles marked bills or documents, traces of the solution stick to their hands, and the pink colour appears upon contact with a mild base.
The ACB said K Jaga Jyothi acted improperly and dishonestly in the execution of duties, aiming to gain an undue advantage.
After the arrest, the bribe amount of Rs 84,000 was recovered from her possession. The executive engineer is now in custody and is slated to be presented before a court in Hyderabad.