Kochi, Sep 24 Two persons, including a Kochi Corporation overseer, were arrested after the VACB on Thursday allegedly caught them red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 25,000 in connection with a complaint against a commercial building here, officials said.
The arrested are Seena P R, 45, a Corporation overseer and native of Kanjoor in Kalady, and Shanavas P A, 44, a native of Pallikkunnu in Aluva.
According to the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB), Shanavas had allegedly demanded Rs two lakh to settle a complaint against the commercial building, while Seena allegedly demanded Rs 25,000 to help settle the matter and avoid action.
The complainant is the caretaker of a commercial building at Kaloor-Kathrikadavu, which was allotted a building number in 2009 and had been functioning since then, officials said.
After tenants vacated the building, minor maintenance work was being carried out before renting it out to new tenants.
During this period, Shanavas submitted a complaint to the Kochi Corporation in the name of an organisation called the “Land and Building Safety Council”, alleging that proper standards had not been followed in the construction of the building.
The building owner subsequently met Seena and submitted the necessary documents, following which she inspected the building, the VACB said.
Later, Seena allegedly contacted a relative of the building owner and said the matter had to be “settled”, officials said,
The caretaker subsequently met Seena at the Corporation office, where she allegedly provided Shanavas’ phone number and instructed the complainant to settle the matter with him.
When contacted, Shanavas initially demanded Rs 5 lakh to withdraw the complaint. After the complainant said such an amount could not be paid, he reduced the demand to Rs 2 lakh, the VACB said.
Shanavas also allegedly demanded Rs 25,000 for Seena and instructed the complainant to inform the overseer of the settlement via WhatsApp, officials said.
When the complainant subsequently contacted Seena through WhatsApp, she allegedly warned that if the building was assigned a “UA” (Unauthorised) number, the owner would have to pay more than three times the amount in taxes and fines.
She allegedly advised the complainant to consult the building owner and pay the Rs 25,000 demanded by Shanavas, directing that the amount be handed over near Kaloor Metro Station on Thursday evening, VACB said.
Unwilling to pay the bribe, the complainant approached the Deputy Superintendent of Police of the Ernakulam Vigilance Unit.
A trap was subsequently laid under his supervision.
At around 5.10 pm on Thursday, Seena was allegedly caught accepting Rs 25,000 from the complainant near Kaloor Bus Stand.
Shanavas was subsequently caught in the trap, the VACB said.
The arrested accused will be produced before the Muvattupuzha Vigilance Court.
(PTI News)
