ACB lens on Irrigation Dept as skeletons tumble out of closet
Hyderabad: The Irrigation Department in Telangana has come under intense scrutiny recently, following a surge in corruption cases against its officials. Frequent arrests of Irrigation engineers over the past three months related to disproportionate assets and bribery have cast serious doubts on the efficacy and integrity of personnel within the department. Most of the arrested corrupt officials are reported to have amassed assets worth no less than Rs 100 crore.
In the latest case concerning disproportionate assets, the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested Executive Engineer N Sridhar. Searches were conducted at multiple locations, including his residence and those of his relatives, in connection with allegations of acquiring illicit wealth. The corrupt official was found to own villas, luxury apartments, and expensive open plots in Hyderabad.
ACB officials revealed that they have been receiving numerous complaints against Irrigation officials, alleging demands for bribes to clear pending bills from contractors. Many of the irrigation engineers, who possess the authority to approve project works and finalise executing agencies, are currently facing corruption allegations within the department. ACB sleuths meticulously analysed Sridhar's track record before conducting searches to uncover assets amassed through illegal means throughout his career as an engineer. The market value of these disproportionate assets is estimated to exceed Rs 200 crore.
In recent times, the ACB also apprehended Assistant Engineer Nikesh Kumar from the Irrigation Department, unearthing assets valued at an estimated Rs 150 crore during raids at his residence and other locations. Nikesh allegedly colluded with contractors and undertook works under 'benami' (proxy) names. The sheer scale of his exploitation of official position stunned the entire department.
The arrest of Executive Engineer Arram Reddy Amarender Reddy, who was caught red handed accepting a bribe of Rs 60,000, further astonished irrigation officials. Such direct apprehension of irrigation officials by the Anti Corruption Bureau for accepting bribes has been rare in recent years.
Top officials have indicated that the Irrigation Secretary is currently reviewing the performance of department personnel.
A particular focus is on the long tenure of officials in single posts within the same office, which is believed to be a primary reason for them developing extensive networks with agencies and subsequently exploiting their positions for illicit gain.
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