Thrissur: Assistant Labour Officer K A Jayaprakash was arrested on Tuesday while accepting a bribe of ₹5,000 from a hotel manager in Thrissur. The arrest followed a complaint lodged by the hotel manager with the Vigilance department.

The issue stems from an incident on August 30 when Jayaprakash inspected a hotel near the Guruvayur temple. He was then posted at the labour office in Chavakkad. During the inspection, he allegedly pointed out the presence of several temporary workers and hinted that issues could be "settled" if he was compensated. He later called the manager, demanded money, and threatened to issue notices.

A notice was indeed sent, directing the manager to appear before the Labour Office on September 10. However, the officer later informed the manager to report on September 16 instead. When the manager showed up, Jayaprakash demanded ₹10,000 as a bribe but settled for ₹5,000, which he allegedly forced the hotelier to pay.

Meanwhile, Jayaprakash was transferred from Chavakkad to the Kakkanad labour office on September 17. Despite the transfer, he demanded the remaining ₹5,000, insisting the money be sent via Google Pay. When the manager refused, Jayaprakash allegedly said he would collect it in person.

Acting on the manager’s complaint, Vigilance officials set a trap and apprehended the officer red-handed while receiving the bribe. After a medical examination, he will be produced before the Thrissur Vigilance Court.