Temple employee caught red-handed while accepting bribe in Andhra's Krishna district

An employee of the Sri Ramalingeswara Swamy temple in Nandigama town of Andhra Pradesh's Krishna district was caught red-handed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) sleuths allegedly while taking a bribe of Rs 25,000 from one Sudheer for attender post in the temple.

The accused has been identified as T Sobhanadri, senior assistant at Sri Ramalingeswara Swamy temple in Nandigama town of Krishna district.

While sharing details regarding the case, ACB in a statement said that Sudheer was working as an attender in the temple long back.

"Sudheer was not taken into services after he went on a long leave for one year in 2016. The Executive Officers (EO) of the temple changed in past four years, but nobody gave him his post back. Sudheer approached the High Court which gave order in his favor. Sudheer took the High Court order to the present EO, but he did not let Sudheer join his post. At this juncture, temple senior assistant Sobhanadri assured him the job, and asked a bribe of Rs 5 lakhs, to convince the EO. After negotiations, it was accepted for Rs 3 lakhs. Sobhanadri asked Sudheer to bring Rs 25,000 on Tuesday for petty expenses,"

Sudheer approached the ACB sleuths in this matter, who in turn caught Sobhanadri red-handed. The ACB sleuths detained Sobhanadri and are inquiring the matter.

ACB ASP Maheswara Raju informed that "a trap was laid on Tuesday at about 10:00 hours against Accused Officer T Sobhanadri, Senior Assistant Executive Officer, Sri Ramalingeswara Swamy Temple, Nandigama, Krishna district and he was caught red-handed by ACB officials at his office when he further demanded and accepted a bribe of Rs 25,000 from the complainant B Sudheer, Ex. Attender of the temple."

"The chemical test conducted on the fingers of both hands and the iron safe of Subhindra yielded positive results. The tainted amount was recovered and relevant records were seized. He is being arrested and produced before the Hon'ble court of Special Judge for SPE and ACB Cases, Vijayawada," Raju added.

The complainant Sudheer said that he had worked as an attender in Sri Ramalingeswara Swamy temple in Nandigama of Krishna district.

"I am taken into rolls in 2014 and my scale is ordered. In 2016 my father fell sick and I had to go on leave. I could not come to duty for one year due to my parents' ill-health. I had given intimation about that. Later I kept on requesting the changing EOs of the temple but in vain. I approached the high court in July 2020. The high court has given a direction to the EO to conceive my job within 3 weeks. I had given the order copy to the EO by hand and even sent the courier. But now he is not picking the phone. Sobhanadri said that he will manage the EO if I give Rs 5 lakhs. At last he accepted for Rs 3 lakhs,"

"T Sobhanadri asked me to give Rs 25,000 at first, today, for petty expenses. I informed the matter to ACB. I gave Sobhanadri Rs 25,000 and the ACB sleuths caught him red-handed. It was my job, and the high court has given order in my favour. Yet the EO is not responding and senior assistant Sobhanadri asked me a bribe of Rs 3 lakhs. That's why I approached ACB. The ACB ASP has been cooperative for the last 25 days, and nabbed Sobhanadri on Tuesday," he added.

Vijayawada Range ACB Additional SP KM Maheswara Raju, DSP Sarath, Inspectors Krupa Vandanam, Siva Kumar, Sub Inspector Nancharaiah, and other staff participated in the trap Operation.

( With inputs from ANI )