Hyderabad: Excise inspector bribery case led to the arrest of an Excise Inspector and a government teacher, with ACB seizing Rs.20 lakh in unaccounted cash. Officials said the accused routed illegal gratification through UPI transactions using a benami account.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau took Gundeti Ramu, Prohibition and Excise Inspector in Karimnagar Urban, and Jakkani Venu, a secondary grade teacher at MPPS Obulapur in Jagtial district, into custody on March 17. Authorities registered them as AO-1 and AO-2 in the case.
Investigators said Ramu collected illegal gratification during his tenure as SHO in Vemulawada. He allegedly received regular payments from a jaggery merchant between 2022 and 2024. Officials stated that Venu, a former colleague and friend, facilitated these transactions through UPI.
Excise inspector bribery case exposes UPI trail
According to ACB officials, Venu transferred the collected amounts from his SBI and UBI accounts. He routed the funds to Ramu and also to Ramu’s father’s account. Investigators said this arrangement allowed the officer to conceal the origin of the money.
Authorities concluded that Ramu used Venu as a benami to receive illegal gratification. They said the officer acted dishonestly and misused his official position for personal gain. The agency described the transactions as systematic and sustained over two years.
Excise inspector bribery case under investigation
Officials conducted searches and seized Rs.20 lakh in unaccounted cash during the operation. They produced both accused before the Special Judge for SPE and ACB cases in Karimnagar.
The ACB confirmed that the investigation remains ongoing. It withheld details of the complainant citing security concerns.
Authorities said the excise inspector bribery case highlighted misuse of digital payment platforms for illegal transactions. They added that further financial links and assets are under scrutiny as part of the probe.