Hyderabad, October 09: In yet another case of a government official giving a slip to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) sleuths after he was caught taking bribe, an additional assistant engineer of AP Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (APSPDCL) escaped from the ‘custody’ of the ACB officials today.
The officer complained of chest pain soon after his arrest yesterday night and fled from the hospital he was admitted.
The additional assistant engineer in the office of the divisional engineer, APSPDCL in Madanapalle, Chittoor district, 55-year-old P Muniraja demanded Rs 10,000 bribe from a person to do an official favour.
On the complaint, ACB sleuths laid a trap and caught Muniraja red-handed when he took the bribe. The tainted amount was recovered from Muniraja’s trouser pocket and he was arrested.
.“Soon after his arrest, Muniraja started sweating profusely and complained of chest pain. On his request, the ACB officials shifted him to the Sri Venkateswara Hrudayalaya Hospital in Tirupati by 11.30 p.m,’’ an official release said.
Around 4 a.m, Muniraja told the ACB sleuths who stood guard in the hospital room that he want to attend nature call and gave a slip to the police.
The ACB sleuths lodged a complaint with the Tirupati east police. Police registered a case under Section 224 (escape from custody) and a hunt is launched to nab the accused.
This is the second instance in the recent times that a government employee fled after being trapped by the ACB sleuths taking bribe.
In August this year, the sub-inspector of Prathipadu police station, P Venkata Narayana Swamy opened fire on the ACB sleuths with his service revolver and fled.
Meanwhile in Kadapa district, the deputy commissioner of commercial taxes department was caught with more than Rs two crore disproportionate assets.
On specific information, ACB sleuths conducted searches at the residence of K Srinivasa Rao and also on the houses of his relatives and friends at Duggirala, Tenali, Tirupati and Hyderabad.
The assets of the official include four plots (two at Tirupati and one each in Ranga Reddy district and Guntur), three apartments (two at Tirupati and one at Hyderabad), two buildings at Tirupati, 14 acre agricultural land at Emani in Guntur, Rs 11 lakh cash, gold ornaments worth Rs three lakh, investment in chits to the tune of Rs 1.5 lakh, fixed deposit in various banks and post offices worth Rs 1.10 crore and bank balances worth Rs 19 lakh.
The market value of the assets would be much more than Rs two crore, officials said.
–Agencies