The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) on Monday arrested the Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) holding additional charge as Secretary of the Thodupuzha Municipality for accepting a bribe of ₹75,000 from a building owner.

The accused, M P Jose (54), is a native of Karukutty in Ernakulam. He was arrested around 5.50 pm while accepting the first instalment of a total ₹2 lakh bribe near Moonlight Bar on the Thodupuzha-Muvattupuzha Road.

According to the Vigilance, the complainant, a Thodupuzha resident, had applied for a completion certificate for a newly constructed building in October 2025. Jose allegedly kept the application pending for nearly a month and demanded ₹1.5 lakh to process it. Following discussions through the municipal building engineer, the application was temporarily approved.

However, in May this year, Jose allegedly summoned the complainant to his office and claimed that an iron staircase had been constructed without permission. He threatened to cancel the building numbers already issued unless the complainant paid ₹2 lakh as a bribe.

Despite repeated requests to reduce the amount, Jose insisted on the full payment and demanded ₹75,000 as the first instalment.

Unwilling to pay the bribe, the complainant approached the Idukki VACB, which laid a trap. Jose was caught while receiving ₹75,000 from the complainant, and Vigilance officials recovered the tainted cash from his possession.

The operation was led by Idukki VACB Deputy Superintendent of Police R Madhu and Inspector Shinto P Kurian. Jose was formally arrested and will be produced before the Muvattupuzha Vigilance Court.