The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) reportedly detected savings and investments worth around ₹84 lakh and seized liquid cash worth ₹64,000 and 74 bottles of Indian Made Foreign Liquor during the nearly 15-hour-long raid at the house of Ernakulam Regional Transport Officer (RTO) T.M. Jerson who was arrested on charge of bribery on Wednesday.
The raid at his house in Edappally, which was launched shortly after his arrest along with two of his suspected aides, was eventually wrapped up by VACB officials on Thursday morning. Saji and Ramapadiyar, who allegedly served as Mr. Jerson’s agents, were the ones to be initially nabbed while accepting an alleged bribe of ₹5,000 and a liquor bottle in front of the Regional Transport Office on behalf of Mr. Jerson on Wednesday. It was based on their statements that Mr. Jerson was arrested later. All the accused were produced in court and remanded.
“We found investments and savings to the tune of ₹84 lakh, which was way in excess of his known source of income. Another ₹64,000 was found rolled up into a bundle and is suspected to be bribery proceeds. Seventy-four premium Indian Made Foreign Liquor bottles were also seized. Documents, including those related to landed properties, have also been seized,” said S. Sasidharan, Superintendent of Police, VACB Ernakulam unit.
The VACB booked the accused under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The liquor bottles were handed over to the Elamakkara police who have registered a separate case against the RTO under the Abkari Act for possessing more than the permissible volume.
Mr. Jerson, who was posted as Ernakulam RTO six months ago, had been on the VACB radar for a while with complaints pouring in against him, said sources. Reportedly, hints about his alleged corrupt ways came to light during a recent VACB drive at Walayar check-post.
Mr. Jerson and the other two were arrested on a petition by the manager of a transport company after the official allegedly demanded a bribe for transferring the permit of a private bus operating in the Chellanam-Fort Kochi route to another bus of the same company after the original permit expired. The bribe was allegedly demanded on applying for a permit transfer.
Published - February 20, 2025 08:27 pm IST
