The Anti-Corruption Bureau conducted surprise searches at the Uppal Bhagayath fire station in Hyderabad after complaints that fire department officials were demanding bribes from applicants seeking licences to operate Diwali firecracker shops, according to Telangana Today. The station falls under the LB Nagar jurisdiction.
ACB officials reportedly detained several fire department personnel, including the in-charge inspector, for questioning during the searches. The operation was conducted under the supervision of Rangareddy District ACB DSP Anand Kumar.
The agency reportedly seized Rs 40,000 in cash during the searches. Officials also identified 80 online transactions that are suspected to be connected to the alleged irregularities. The transactions are being examined as part of the inquiry into whether applicants were asked to make unauthorised payments while seeking permissions for temporary firecracker shops.
The searches also cover pending applications for firecracker shop licences. Officials are scrutinising those applications and related records as the investigation continues. The supplied report does not specify the number of licences under review or identify the applicants linked to the suspected transactions.
Firecracker shop licensing involves both administrative approval and public-safety considerations because temporary retail outlets must operate under conditions prescribed by the relevant authorities. In this case, the allegations concern the conduct of officials involved in processing applications at a fire station serving the Uppal Bhagayath area. The ACB action places the licensing process, pending applications and associated financial transactions under investigation.
The reported seizure and identification of online transactions do not by themselves establish criminal liability. The allegations will have to be examined through the ongoing investigation, including verification of the cash, transaction records, application files and the statements of the officials and applicants concerned. The report does not state whether a formal case has been registered or whether any arrests have been made.
The ACB searches were continuing at the time of the report, and further details were expected to emerge as investigators examined the records and questioned the fire department personnel. The next official steps will depend on the findings of the ongoing inquiry into the alleged bribery demands and the pending firecracker shop licence applications.
