Hyderabad: A Forest officer bribe case came to light in Jagtial district after the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) caught a Forest Range Officer allegedly accepting Rs 80,000 from a complainant.
According to the ACB, officials trapped Sri Gulam Moinuddin, Forest Range Officer of Kodimyal Range, on June 4.
The officer allegedly sought money to grant permission for cutting and transporting 120 teak trees.
The ACB said the officer initially demanded Rs 2 lakh from the complainant.
Forest officer bribe case linked to teak transit permission
Investigators said the complainant had already paid Rs 1 lakh to the officer on May 13.
Later, the officer allegedly reduced the balance amount to Rs 80,000.
He then accepted the amount from the complainant, ACB officials said.
The agency recovered the tainted cash from a table drawer used by the officer.
The ACB alleged that Gulam Moinuddin misused his official position for personal gain.
Following the trap, officials took the accused officer into custody and arrested him.
Authorities produced him before the Special Judge for SPE and ACB Cases in Karimnagar.
The ACB said the investigation is continuing.