ACB Arrests Srikakulam Treasury Officials in Bribery Sting Operation
In a significant crackdown on corruption, officials from the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) have arrested two government employees from the Srikakulam sub-treasury office for allegedly demanding and accepting bribes. The arrested individuals have been identified as Nalla Ravi Prasad, who served as the sub-treasury officer, and Ambakandi Srinivasa Rao, who worked as a senior accountant at the same office.
Details of the Bribery Allegations
The case revolves around a complaint filed by L Hema Ragini, a former digital assistant (grade-VI) who was previously employed at the Bantupalli Grama Sachivalayam under Ranasthalam mandal in Srikakulam district. According to ACB officials, Ragini had availed medical leave from January 3, 2022, to May 3, 2023. Upon resuming duty on May 5, 2023, she was transferred to Killipalem Grama Sachivalayam under Srikakulam rural mandal.
Her medical leave was subsequently treated as extraordinary leave by the government authorities. The district collector issued proceedings on December 24, 2025, declaring her probation effective from May 5, 2023. Due to administrative delays, Ragini received only Rs 15,000 as an honorarium for December 2025, as no salary arrears bill had been prepared by the office staff at that time.
Salary Arrears and Bribe Demand
The situation took a dramatic turn on January 10, 2026, when the office staff finally prepared her salary arrears bill for a substantial amount of Rs 4,34,697, covering the period from May 5, 2023, to December 31, 2025. However, the processing of this bill faced unexplained delays, prompting Ragini to visit the sub-treasury office in Srikakulam recently to seek clarification.
During her visit, she met with Ambakandi Srinivasa Rao, who allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 20,000 to expedite the processing of her salary arrears bill. Later, she also encountered Nalla Ravi Prasad, who similarly demanded a bribe of Rs 15,000 for the same official favor. Feeling harassed and unable to bear the pressure for kickbacks, Ragini decided to approach the ACB officials to report the corruption.
ACB's Swift Action and Arrest
After verifying the facts presented by the complainant, the ACB officials swiftly laid a trap to catch the accused officers red-handed. The operation was meticulously planned, leading to the successful apprehension of both Nalla Ravi Prasad and Ambakandi Srinivasa Rao at the moment they were accepting the bribe money. This decisive action underscores the ACB's commitment to rooting out corruption in government offices and ensuring accountability among public servants.
The arrest has sent shockwaves through the local administrative circles in Srikakulam, highlighting the persistent challenges of graft in handling official matters such as salary disbursements. The ACB continues to investigate the case further to uncover any additional details or potential accomplices involved in this bribery scandal.
