Amaravati, September 6 (Daily Kiran) : The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Andhra Pradesh has made a significant bust, seizing over ₹2.5 lakh in cash from transport department officials during a surprise raid in the SPSR Nellore district. The operation took place on the night of September 5 and 6 near the Musunuru toll plaza on National Highway-16.
According to ACB officials, they acted on credible information regarding illegal collections from drivers by transport department personnel. The investigation revealed that Banavath Gopi Naik, a motor vehicle inspector from Nellore, along with two home guards and a private driver, were using a car to extort money from drivers at the toll plaza.
During the raid, the ACB confiscated cash amounting to ₹68,800 found on the roadside, which was counted in the presence of witnesses. Following this, a search of the vehicle belonging to an assistant motor vehicle inspector (MVI) uncovered an additional ₹1,80,000 hidden in the trunk. The ACB stated that there was no legitimate accounting for this money, raising suspicions that it was likely bribe money. Consequently, the ACB’s DSP for the Nellore range seized the cash for further investigation in the presence of government witnesses.
The agency has urged citizens to report any instances of corruption in government departments to their local ACB office, using the toll-free number 1064 or mobile number 94404 40057. They assured that the identities of informants would be kept confidential.
Numerous complaints have surfaced from various parts of the state regarding transport officials soliciting bribes. In March 2026, the ACB conducted surprise raids related to a disproportionate assets case against an assistant motor vehicle inspector in Machilipatnam. This was prompted by credible information suggesting that the official had amassed wealth beyond his known income sources, leading to a case being filed under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (amended in 2018). During those raids, the ACB seized property documents, electronic gadgets, and other materials, uncovering multiple properties owned by the accused, including three houses in Vijayawada and agricultural land in Telangana.
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