CBI arrests Telangana Postal Inspector in ₹30,000 bribery trap
Synopsis
The CBI caught a Telangana Postal Inspector red-handed accepting a ₹30,000 bribe on 8 May, part of a larger ₹1.30 lakh extortion case in Wanaparthy Division. On the same day, the state ACB separately nabbed two forest officials in Bhadrachalam for accepting ₹3.50 lakh — a twin enforcement action that puts Telangana's government machinery under sharp scrutiny.
Key Takeaways
Kokku Gopinath , Inspector of Posts, Wanaparthy Division , was arrested by the CBI on 8 May 2025 for accepting a bribe of ₹30,000 .
The broader case involves alleged extortion of ₹1.30 lakh from the complainant by postal officials demanding payment to release substitute salary dues.
Gopinath has been remanded to judicial custody until 20 May 2025 ; searches were carried out at his premises in Rangareddy and Khammam .
Separately, the ACB, Khammam Range arrested Santhapuri Sujatha (FDO) and Bhukya Krishna (DRO) for accepting ₹3.50 lakh in bribes in Bhadrachalam .
The forest officials allegedly demanded the bribe to suppress a case related to damage caused during construction of a 2-km BT road to the Chhattisgarh border .
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Kokku Gopinath, Inspector of Posts, Wanaparthy Division, Telangana, on 8 May 2025 after catching him red-handed while demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹30,000 from a complainant. The arrest is part of a broader case involving alleged extortion of ₹1.30 lakh from the same complainant by postal officials.
How the CBI Trap Was Laid
The CBI registered the case on 7 May 2025 against the Superintendent and Inspector of Posts, Wanaparthy Division, and unknown others. The accused officials allegedly extorted ₹1.30 lakh from the complainant and further demanded ₹30,000 as a bribe to release substitute salary dues owed to the complainant. Acting on the complaint, the CBI laid a trap and caught Gopinath red-handed while he was accepting the bribe amount.
Court Remand and Searches
The arrested inspector was produced before the Court of Principal Special Judge for CBI Cases, Hyderabad on 8 May 2025 and remanded to judicial custody until 20 May 2025. Simultaneously, searches were conducted at two residential premises linked to the accused — one at Badangpet, Rangareddy district, and another at Warangal Cross Road, Khammam, Telangana. The case remains under active investigation.
ACB Also Nets Two Forest Officials in Bhadrachalam
In a separate but concurrent anti-corruption action, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Telangana caught two forest department officials red-handed while accepting a bribe. Santhapuri Sujatha, Forest Divisional Officer (FDO), Bhadrachalam, and Bhukya Krishna, Deputy Range Officer (DRO) of Tegada and in-charge Forest Range Officer, Charla, were apprehended by the ACB, Khammam Range. The officials had reportedly demanded ₹10 lakh, negotiated down to ₹3.50 lakh, and accepted the amount at the Forest Divisional Office, Bhadrachalam.
The bribe was allegedly sought to avoid registering a case against the complainant for purportedly causing damage to forest trees while laying a 2-km BT (Bituminous/Blacktop) road from Pusuguppa village, Charla mandal to the Chhattisgarh border — a project completed in 2025 — and to ensure the complainant was not disturbed in future works.
CBI's Corruption Complaint Channel
The CBI has urged members of the public with complaints about corruption in central government departments, public sector undertakings, banks, insurance companies, or Railways in Telangana to contact the Deputy Inspector General of Police, CBI, ACB, Hyderabad at phone numbers 040-24732763 and 9502999700, or via email at hobachyd@cbi.gov.in. Both cases signal a coordinated enforcement push against graft in Telangana's government departments, with further developments expected as investigations progress.
Point of View
One by the state ACB — suggest that enforcement pressure on mid-level government officials is intensifying. What is striking is the nature of both cases: in the postal case, a salary due to a complainant was being held hostage for a bribe; in the forest case, road construction work completed in 2025 is now the leverage point for fresh extortion. These are not isolated acts of greed but structural patterns where officials exploit procedural control over entitlements and compliance to extract payments. The real test is whether these arrests translate into systemic reform or remain headline-level deterrence.
NationPress
10 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was arrested by the CBI in the Telangana postal bribery case?
The CBI arrested Kokku Gopinath, Inspector of Posts, Wanaparthy Division, Telangana, on 8 May 2025 after catching him red-handed accepting a bribe of ₹30,000. He has been remanded to judicial custody until 20 May 2025.
What is the full extent of the alleged bribery in the CBI postal case?
Beyond the ₹30,000 bribe for which Gopinath was caught, the CBI case covers alleged extortion of ₹1.30 lakh from the complainant by the Superintendent and Inspector of Posts, Wanaparthy Division. The bribe was demanded to release substitute salary dues owed to the complainant.
Who were the forest officials arrested by the ACB in Bhadrachalam?
The ACB, Khammam Range arrested Santhapuri Sujatha, Forest Divisional Officer (FDO), Bhadrachalam, and Bhukya Krishna, Deputy Range Officer (DRO) of Tegada and in-charge Forest Range Officer, Charla, for accepting ₹3.50 lakh in bribes.
Why were the forest officials demanding a bribe?
The two forest officials allegedly demanded the bribe to avoid registering a case against the complainant for damage to forest trees caused during the laying of a 2-km BT road from Pusuguppa village, Charla mandal to the Chhattisgarh border, and to ensure the complainant was not disturbed in future works.
How can citizens in Telangana report corruption to the CBI?
Citizens can contact the Deputy Inspector General of Police, CBI, ACB, Hyderabad at 040-24732763 or 9502999700, or email hobachyd@cbi.gov.in to report corruption in central government departments, PSUs, banks, insurance companies, or Railways in Telangana.
