In a bizarre video that went viral on the internet, a government official started weeping when she was caught red-handed while taking a bribe.
The incident occurred in in the Indian state of Telangana where an executive engineer K Jaga Jyothi attached to the Tribal Welfare Engineering department Hyderabad made headlines for all the wrong reasons.
The officer was apprehended by the Anti-corruption Bureau (ACB) while accepting a bribe amounting to INR 84,000. The incident, captured in a video that went viral on social media, showed Jyothi in tears as she was caught red-handed by the authorities.
K Jaga Jyothi reportedly underwent the phenolphthalein test, with her right-hand fingers testing positive. Phenolphthalein is a chemical compound, which after breaking down turns pink, making it a key tool in catching bribe recipients. Traces of the solution sticks to the hands of whoever touches the marked bills or documents, and the pink colour appears upon contact with a mild base.
#ACB Arrests Executive Engineer for Bribery
Executive Engineer Jagat Jyoti was apprehended by Telangana ACB for accepting a bribe at the Tribal Administration Building. ACB officers caught Jyoti red-handed, receiving a bribe of ₹84,000 at the tribal welfare office in Masab Tank pic.twitter.com/NrToqnOGr4
— Informed Alerts (@InformedAlerts) February 19, 2024
The bribe amount was also recovered from the possession of the accused official. “The right-hand fingers of K Jaga Jyothi, EE tested positive in the phenolphthalein test. The accused officer performed his/her duty improperly and dishonestly to obtain undue advantage,” the release stated.
The executive engineer has been arrested and will appear before the Principal Special Judge for SPE and ACB Cases Court in Hyderabad. further investigation is underway.