Sathyanarayana Reddy, a fire officer in Nalgonda, was arrested by Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials on Thursday for accepting a bribe. He demanded ₹8,000 for granting permission to set up a temporary firecracker shop for Diwali.
According to ACB DSP Jagadish Reddy, a complainant approached the fire department for a license to operate a firecracker shop in a secluded area in Nalgonda town. After securing approvals from revenue and police departments, the complainant sought the final permit from the fire officer.
Instead of processing the application, the fire officer asked for a ₹10,000 bribe, prompting the complainant to contact ACB. Following their guidance, the complainant arranged to meet the officer on Thursday evening to pay ₹8,000. The officer directed the meeting to take place near the NG College Ground.
As the officer accepted the bribe, the Nalgonda Range ACB Unit caught him in the act. They recovered the bribe from the officer’s bike tank cover. It was revealed that Sathyanarayana Reddy faces several other corruption charges, which will be thoroughly investigated before presenting him to the Nampally ACB Court.
