MAHABUBNAGAR: Although the State government is enacting many laws to prevent corruption in the State, there is no change in the attitude of tainted officials. Errant officials from some departments have allegedly appointed private people to collect bribes on their behalf, so that they themselves can evade Anti-Corruption Bureau officials. These officials have even fixed the amounts of bribes based on the work required, the extent of the land involved and the demands made. Only a small number of corrupt officials are being caught, and most of them are going scot-free by deploying certain techniques.
No public work is completed or processed in the undivided Mahbubnagar district without payment of bribes. Although several complaints are being made over the issue by the affected parties, nobody is there to listen to their pleas. Most departments, including revenue, registration, RTA, commercial taxes, electricity, land and survey, panchayat raj, minor and major irrigation, municipality and police are known to demand bribes.
In most departments, officials themselves demand bribes from people, while some demand them through agents.Those who want to avail the services of the registration department are made to hire a document writer, who acts as an agent between the bribe givers and the bribe takers. Meanwhile, citizens claim that the police are favouring the accused instead of ensuring justice.
Some police constables working in the intelligence department in the district are allegedly acting as middlemen for local politicians and others. The role of such constables has become very important due to the existing political situation in the district. Seven officials have been caught while taking bribes in the district so far.
It is learnt that corrupt officials are now planning to change their ways of taking bribes, in the wake of the recent arrest of a tehsildar in Medchal-Malkajgiri district and the Additional Collector of Medak district. On the other hand, ACB has kept an eye on officials of all important departments of the district.
Combat corruption with awareness: DSP
ACB DSP B Krishna Goud said corruption in government departments could be rooted out by creating awareness among people. He said the ACB was receiving several complaints of officials accepting bribes, and had so far caught seven officials in the district