RTO Arrested For Taking Liquor As Bribe : 49 Bottles Recovered From Flat [Video]

Kerala Transport department and police force often makes it to the headline for taking strict action against offenders. Just like in any department, there are corrupt officers in Motor Vehicle Department of Kerala too. Recently one such officer was caught red handed while demanding bribe from one of the applicants. When vigilance team reached the officer’s residence for raid, they were surprised to see around 49 expensive liquor bottles in his flat.

When the news broke out, excise department of Kerala is now after the accused officer, T M Jerson. The excise department found that the officer had illegally stored 49 bottles of expensive and imported liquor at his home and this was also way more than the permissible limit. In Kerala, an individual can store up to 3 liters of Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) at home. Other liquor limits include 3.5 liters of beer and wine, 2.5 liters of foreign liquor, 1 liter of cocoa brandy, and 1.5 liters of toddy.

Most of the liquor bottles recovered from the Jerson’s place were imported ones and most of them were imported too. The cost of a liquor bottle costed anywhere between Rs 25,000 to 1 lakh. Other than asking for bribe as cash, the officer used to demand for such expensive liquor bottles from the applicants.

The Vigilance Anti Corruption Bureau also found that the officer used to keep the bribe money at home. The team recovered around Rs 60,000 from the officer’s residence in Ernakulam. It is not clear for how long Jerson has been doing this. He was caught by the vigilance department during his recent deal where he demanded money and liquor from a bus owner to get his permit renewed.

The officer was not working directly in this. There was an agent, who used to take bribe on his behalf. The bus owner probably informed the vigilance department when the officer demanded bribe. The agent who is known by the name Saji was also present at the RTO to take bribe from the bus owner. He was caught while taking the bribe.

The person who came to submit the form for permit had the liquor bottle and cash with him. The Vigilance team not only raided the Regional Transport Office but also took the agent and the RTO in custody. The officer is suspended from his official duty and is under arrest. Other than the case for taking bribe, the vigilance officer will also have to face trial for storing so many liquor bottles at home.

The Anti Corruption Bureau team is currently investigating the case and they have found that he owns four properties and holds investments of over Rs 80 lakh. He allegedly used the bribe money for investments on assets like these. The probe agency also found that the accused officer is not doing this for the first time.

They have received information that Jerson along with many other senior MVD officers used to take a part of the bribe money from MVD officers posted in Walayar checkpost (border checkpost). Lorry drivers used to offer bribe money to officers posted at the checkpost.

The senior MVD officials including Jerson used to collect a part of this bribe money from these officers claiming that a part of this amount is going to Vigilance Anti Corruption Bureau to stop them from taking any action.