ACB nabs lineman in bribery case
Hyderabad: In a surprise operation, the Telangana Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested a junior lineman from the Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (TGSPDCL) in Gachibowli.
Acting on a complaint, ACB officials conducted a sting operation on Friday, 26 September 2025, catching A. Srikanth Goud red-handed while he accepted a bribe of Rs 11,000. The money was part of a larger sum of Rs 30,000 he had demanded to facilitate an illegal upgrade of electrical wiring from 5 KV to 11 KV, as well as the unsealing and resealing of a household power meter.
This incident highlights the ongoing issue of petty corruption in public utilities, where even lower-level staff have significant opportunities for graft. From January to August 2025, the Telangana ACB saw a notable increase in its enforcement activity, registering 179 cases across the state. Of these, 108 were “trap cases” where officials were caught while accepting bribes.
This reflects a continued focus on identifying and prosecuting direct corruption within government departments.
A total of 167 public servants, including 14 outsourced employees, have been arrested for bribery or asset accumulation. During this period, more than Rs 33 lakh was seized in bribe trap cases, and disproportionate assets worth over Rs 44 crore were uncovered through extensive property and cash seizures. Among the recent high-profile ACB arrests was a senior TGSPDCL engineer from whom cash and assets exceeding Rs 100 crore were seized.
These operations often involve simultaneous raids across multiple locations, with officials citing strong support from public tip-offs and proactive citizen complaints.
