Kochi: The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) on Friday arrested a retired deputy collector for allegedly acting as an intermediary in a ₹10-lakh bribery deal involving a revenue department official and two middlemen in Kochi.

The accused, Kripa N K (59), a resident of Kadavanthra, was arrested by the Ernakulam Vigilance Unit around 5 pm after further investigation into a trap operation the agency conducted in Kadavanthra on August 13.

The case concerns an alleged attempt to extort money from a Kaloor resident in connection with the conversion of his land from paddy land to residential land in revenue records.

The complainant had inherited around 1.4 acres of land at Elamakkara from his late father. Although the family had been paying land tax treating the property as residential land, the records at the Edappally South Village Office continued to classify it as paddy field.

The trouble began after the complainant brought soil to the property to level the plot for constructing a house. According to the Vigilance investigation, Joseph Shibin, a Vyttila native who allegedly acted as a middleman in the case, filed a complaint at the village office claiming that paddy land had been illegally reclaimed.

The complainant was subsequently contacted by Kanayannur Land Records Tahsildar Joseph Antony Hurtis (52), who allegedly warned him of serious consequences if the complaint was pursued officially. He was allegedly advised to settle the matter through Shibin rather than face official action or pay the prescribed penalty.

Shibin then introduced the complainant to another alleged middleman, Rajesh N S, alias Kannan (49), a native of Kadavanthra. According to the probe, the two demanded ₹10 lakh from the complainant to withdraw the complaint and facilitate the land conversion.

The demand was allegedly made with the Tahsildar’s knowledge and confirmation over the phone. Of the ₹10 lakh, ₹5 lakh was allegedly intended for revenue officials, including the Tahsildar, while the remaining ₹5 lakh was to be shared between the two middlemen. The landowner subsequently approached the Vigilance and informed the agency about the demand.

On the night of August 13, Vigilance officials laid a trap in Kadavanthra with the complainant's help. Around 8.30 pm, Shibin and Rajesh were allegedly caught accepting the bribe, which comprised ₹2 lakh in cash and an ₹8-lakh cheque.

The Tahsildar was also taken into custody and arrested the same night. He was subsequently suspended from service by the Land Revenue Commissionerate.

The subsequent interrogation of the accused and the forensic examination of evidence collected during the trap allegedly led investigators to Kripa, a retired deputy collector.

The Vigilance found that Kripa had allegedly acted behind the scenes as a broker in the bribery arrangement. The Ernakulam Vigilance Unit took Kripa into custody on Friday around 5 pm. Officials said Kripa will be produced before the Muvattupuzha Vigilance Court.

The operation and the subsequent investigation are part of Project Zero, the VACB’s statewide drive against corruption and alleged networks involving government officials and private intermediaries.

VACB Director Manoj Abraham, IPS, has appealed to the public to report demands for bribes and other corrupt practices. Complaints can be made through the Vigilance toll-free helpline 1064, direct phone number 8592900900, or WhatsApp number 9447789100.