Kakinada: Industries GM held for taking Rs 2 lakh bribe

Kakinada: Kakinada District Industries Department General Manager T Murali was caught red-handed by the ACB officials after he accepted a bribe of Rs 2 lakh to sign a file granting subsidy from the government to an ice factory.

Pemmadi Srinivasa Rao, owner of Srimukhi Ice Factory in Kakinada approached the Rajamahendravaram ACB officials against the Industries Department GM who has been stalling the government subsidy file for a year. On the instructions of ACB DSP Srihari Raju, the ACB personnel caught the corrupt officer while he was taking a bribe.

The ice factory was established in June 2021. In the APIIC Kakinada office, the release date of the subsidy has been recorded as May 2021 instead of June 2021.

Due to the technical problem, difficulties arose in the grant of subsidy money. GM Murali demanded a bribe of Rs 2.5 lakh for this. He warned that if the bribe is not given, the subsidy of about Rs 40 lakh due from the government will not be received. He threatened to seize the factory as well.

On May 17th, the victim, who had been frustrated for a year, approached the ACB officials in Rajamahendravaram on this issue.

According to ACB’s suggestion, victim called the GM and expressed willingness to give Rs 2 lakh. An agreement was reached to give the money on Wednesday. When the GM told him not to come to the office with the money and come to the GRT Hotel road, Srinivasa Rao took the money and went there. ACB DSP was already hidden there with his staff.

Srinivasa Rao gave Rs 2 lakh to GM Murali on Wednesday night around 8-30. ACB personnel raided and caught GM while he was putting the money in the trunk of his car. A sum of Rs 2 lakh was seized and the GM was taken to his office in Ramanayyapeta. After the investigation, it was found that Murali had applied to the government for VRS a month ago. ACB DSP Srihari Raju said that the investigation is going on. ACB inspectors Vasu Krishna, Satish, and Srinivasa Rao participated in the raid.