ACB acting as per law, says DGP R P Thakur

• The DGP justifies the arrest of Central Excise Superintendent by ACB sleuths 
• ACB officials will not remain silent if complaints are received, he says

Vijayawada: Director General of Police (DGP) and Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Director General R P Thakur on Saturday made it clear that the ACB is acting as per the law and would arrest the corrupt officials working in State and Central governments in the State.

He stated this on Saturday following the arrest of a Central government official M K Ramaneswar by ACB officials. It may be noted that  M K Ramaneswar,  working as superintendent in the Central Excise department in Machilipatnam, was arrested by ACB officials on Friday for taking a bribe of Rs.30,000 for doing an official favour.

The CBI officials have condemned the arrest of superintendent saying that it was the job of the CBI to arrest the Central government staff.  Thakur, who is also holding the position of Director General of ACB, responded to the comments made by the CBI on Saturday. 

Speaking to reporters at the ACB head office, R P Thakur said the ACB would arrest the corrupt staff working either in Central government or in State government offices in the State.

He said the ACB officials would not remain silent and would take action if complaints are received.

He said the ACB received complaint from the victim, Lokesh Babu on November 22 about the bribe demanded by superintendent Ramaneswar for doing an official favour. Takurfurther said the CBI had received information after the ACB got complaint from Lokesh. 

He said the ACB had prepared to trap the official even before the CBI got information.   Differences erupted between the Central government agency CBI and the State department ACB in view of the denial of permission to the CBI by the State government for conducting raids on thegovernment offices in the State.

The State government had earlier announced that the ACB would raid on the State and Central government offices in the State in connection with corruption cases. This had irked the CBI, which is opposing the decision. 

Thakur further said the ACB has more offices than the CBI in the State and more accessible to the people. 

Ramaneswar is the first Central government employee arrested by the ACB on charges of corruption and was caught red-handed while accepting the bribe of Rs 30,000 for doing an official favour.