A man posing himself as an Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) official allegedly duped a government official by collecting Rs. 2.5 lakh from him as a bribe to do a favour after intimidating him that several corruption cases are pending against him.

Based on credible information, the ACB team raided the room in a private hotel in which the person was staying and arrested him on Tuesday.

S.V.S.N. Bhaskar, a resident of Kakinada, checked into a private hotel on October 4 and called up the village revenue officers of Agnampudi and Tunglam and mandal surveyors of Gajuwaka and Ellamanchili. He informed them that he was a senior legal advisor of ACB and initially intimidated them saying that there were a number of corruption cases pending against them.

He later claimed that he would help them and has the consent of his superior officers to collect bribe amount for the services.

According to DSP of ACB K. Ramakrishna Prasad, the surveyor from Gajuwaka had also paid him Rs. 2.5 lakh. S.V.S.N. Bhaskar had earlier worked in a private detective agency in Kakinada. In fact, the room in the hotel was booked by Deputy Commissioner of Excise, Visakhapatnam, Vivekananda Reddy. “On what basis, the room was booked by the official or what is the relationship is yet to be established,” said Mr. Ramakrishna Prasad.

When the Mr. Reddy was contacted by The Hindu, he said that he had a very brief acquaintance with Mr. Bhaskar when he was posted as Deputy Commissioner of Excise in Kakinada.

“Bhaskar was an employee of a private detective agency and in a couple of cases he had met me. A few days ago, he called up and requested me to book a room for one Mr. Manohar, a Group one DSP, who was coming to Visakhapatnam for honeymoon with his newly- wedded wife. He also said that since they were travelling together, the room may be booked in his name. Out of courtesy and to help a Group I officer, I obliged,” said Mr. Vivekananda Reddy.