Telangana ACB catches 3 govt officials taking bribes in 2 Hyderabad cases
Synopsis
Telangana's ACB ran two simultaneous traps on 15 October, netting a Deputy Tahsildar who took ₹2.5 lakh to lift a property bar and a TGSPDCL engineer who demanded ₹1.2 lakh to approve six electricity meters — a reminder that everyday civic approvals remain fertile ground for petty corruption.
Key Takeaways
The Telangana ACB caught three officials in two separate bribery cases in Hyderabad on 15 October .
Deputy Tahsildar Amanaganti Sandeep Kumar Reddy and VRO Nannuri Vijay Kumar Reddy allegedly demanded ₹5 lakh ; ₹2.5 lakh was caught being accepted through intermediary Kavali Balakrishna .
The revenue officials sought the bribe to remove properties from the prohibited list under Section 22-A of the Registration Act, 1908 .
TGSPDCL assistant engineer Pandala Sandhaya Rakesh was caught accepting ₹1.2 lakh to approve installation of six new electricity meters .
All accused were produced before the Principal Special Judge for SPE and ACB cases at Nampally for judicial remand.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Telangana caught three government officials allegedly accepting bribes in two separate sting operations in Hyderabad on Thursday, 15 October 2026. The accused include a Deputy Tahsildar, a Village Revenue Officer (VRO), and an assistant engineer of the Telangana Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (TGSPDCL).
Revenue Officials Caught in ₹5 Lakh Bribe Trap
Amanaganti Sandeep Kumar Reddy, Deputy Tahsildar of Keesara mandal in Medchal Malkajgiri district, along with Village Revenue Officer Nannuri Vijay Kumar Reddy and a private individual, Kavali Balakrishna, were nabbed in an ACB trap after allegedly demanding ₹5 lakh from a complainant. The bribe was sought to remove agricultural properties — registered in the names of the complainant's mother and other family members — from the prohibited list under Section 22-A of the Registration Act, 1908.
According to the ACB, the Deputy Tahsildar accepted ₹2.5 lakh as the first instalment through Balakrishna. On the direction of the Deputy Tahsildar, VRO Vijay Kumar Reddy allegedly instigated Balakrishna to collect the payment from the complainant. ACB officials caught Balakrishna red-handed while accepting the amount, which was subsequently recovered from his possession.
All three — the Deputy Tahsildar, the VRO, and Balakrishna — were produced before the Principal Special Judge for SPE and ACB cases at Nampally for judicial remand, according to the ACB's press release.
TGSPDCL Engineer Caught Demanding ₹1.2 Lakh for Meter Approvals
In a separate operation, ACB City Range-II officials caught Pandala Sandhaya Rakesh, an assistant engineer working in the Madannapet section under the Santosh Nagar sub-division of TGSPDCL, while allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹1.2 lakh.
The ACB stated that Rakesh had demanded the money from a complainant in exchange for approving an application to install six new electricity meters in place of old or missing ones. He was caught red-handed, and the alleged bribe amount was recovered from his possession.
ACB's Action and Charges
In both cases, the ACB held that the accused officials had acted 'improperly and dishonestly to obtain an undue advantage,' the standard charge framing under anti-corruption statutes. The operations reflect a continued enforcement drive by Telangana's anti-graft machinery targeting mid-level revenue and utility personnel who control discretionary approvals.
Pattern of Corruption in Key Civic Services
Notably, both cases involve basic civic transactions — property registration relief and electricity connections — that ordinary citizens frequently depend on, making bribe demands by these officials particularly impactful. This is not an isolated incident; the ACB has been conducting regular traps against lower and mid-tier officials across Telangana as part of sustained anti-corruption enforcement. Further legal proceedings in both cases are expected before the Nampally special court in the days ahead.
Point of View
But it is reactive by design — it catches individuals rather than reforming the processes that make these approvals susceptible. The real question is whether the state will use these cases to digitise and de-humanise approval workflows, removing the official's role as a gatekeeper altogether. Until then, the cycle of traps and remands will continue without structural impact.
NationPress
15 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were the three government officials arrested by the Telangana ACB?
The three arrested officials are Deputy Tahsildar Amanaganti Sandeep Kumar Reddy of Keesara mandal, Village Revenue Officer Nannuri Vijay Kumar Reddy, and TGSPDCL assistant engineer Pandala Sandhaya Rakesh. A private individual, Kavali Balakrishna, was also caught in the first case as an alleged intermediary.
What was the bribe demanded by the Deputy Tahsildar and VRO?
The Deputy Tahsildar allegedly demanded ₹5 lakh in total and accepted ₹2.5 lakh as the first instalment through Balakrishna. The money was sought to remove agricultural properties belonging to the complainant's family from the prohibited list under Section 22-A of the Registration Act, 1908.
Why was the TGSPDCL assistant engineer arrested?
TGSPDCL assistant engineer Pandala Sandhaya Rakesh was caught accepting ₹1.2 lakh in a bribe. He had allegedly demanded the amount from a complainant in return for approving an application to install six new electricity meters in place of old or missing ones in the Madannapet section.
Where were the arrested officials produced after their arrest?
All accused were produced before the Principal Special Judge for SPE and ACB cases at Nampally, Hyderabad, for judicial remand following their arrest on 15 October.
What is the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Telangana?
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) is a specialised law enforcement agency in Telangana tasked with investigating and preventing corruption among public servants. It conducts trap operations to catch officials red-handed while accepting bribes, and its cases are tried before designated Special Judges.
