Divisional coop officer held on graft charges

A divisional cooperative officer was caught red-handed while allegedly accepting land in place of cash for doing official favour, the Anti-Corruption Bureau said here Tuesday. The officer was identified as B Mosha, they said.

According to ACB DSP K Ranga Raju, employees of the veterinary department, who were allotted land under the Veterinary Department Employees Housing Board Society, had lodged a complaint with the bureau, stating that the officer was demanding a piece of land from their housing society for doing official favour. It is learnt that retired employees of the veterinary department were allotted some plots in the veterinary colony in Chinagadili area.

The officer had reportedly threatened the employees that if he was not given a plot, he would initiate an inquiry into the allotment and create hindrances to their housing colony, Ranga Raju said. Unable to bear the harassment, the retired employees lodged a complaint, he said.

After conducting a preliminary check, the ACB officials laid a trap. On Tuesday, when Mosha went to the sub-registrar office allegedly to get the land registered, the ACB officials caught him red-handed.

The land is said to be worth Rs 2 crore.