Exe officer of temples caught taking bribe in Rs 2,000 notes

An executive officer of Karakachettu Polamamba temple and several other temples in the city was allegedly caught while accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000 from a contractor today, the anti-corruption bureau said.
The arrested officer was identified as P Satyanarayana Murthy.
Executive officers of temples are appointed by the endowment department of the state government.
Murthy was arrested while taking the money, all in new Rs 2,000 notes, at Shirdi Saibaba temple here, the ACB said.
He had demanded the bribe to clear a Rs 6 lakh bill of a lighting contractor and also to give the latter a new contract, it said.

The contractor had earlier given Murthy a cheque, but the officer could not encash it at the bank because of the restriction on withdrawal in the wake of demonetisation, said DSP K Ramakrishna Prasad of ACB.
Then he demanded cash. The contractor approached the ACB which laid a trap and arrested him today.
A case under the Prevention of Corruption Act was registered against him. Further probe is on.