Idukki: Vigilance officials on Saturday arrested an overseer attached to the Udumbanchola Grama Panchayat while he was allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹50,000 for issuing a building permit for a cardamom store.

The accused, Vishnudas (36), a resident of Senapathi Ambalapadi in Naruvalli, was caught red-handed by the Idukki Vigilance team at Shantharuvi near Udumbanchola. According to the complainant, the overseer demanded the bribe to regularise the building permit for the store. The accused had assured the complainant that he would help clear defects in additional construction and facilitate payment of the required tax. He allegedly inspected the building on Saturday and asked for the money to be handed over at the site.

Vishnudas is an overseer at Pampadumpara Grama Panchayat and was holding additional charge of Udumbanchola and Rajakkad Grama Panchayats. The arrest was carried out by a Vigilance team led by the Idukki Deputy Superintendent of Police under the supervision of the Vigilance Kottayam Eastern Range Superintendent of Police.