Village Officer Nabbed in Bribery Sting: Karode Panchayat Scandal

A Village Extension Officer in Karode, Neyyattinkara, found himself in hot water after allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 2,500. Sandeep T S, identified as the officer in question, was caught by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) during a sting operation.

The incident unfolded as the VACB laid a trap following complaints from a beneficiary of the government's LIFE housing scheme. The complainant claimed that Sandeep solicited illegal payments to facilitate the release of sanctioned funds.

According to VACB officials, Sandeep demanded bribes at various stages of the financial assistance process, leading to his arrest near his office premises. He will face legal proceedings at the Vigilance Court in Thiruvananthapuram.

(With inputs from agencies.)