Anti-Corruption Bureau officials on Tuesday arrested Gopi Ravi, Curator of Nehru Zoological Park after he allegedly received Rs. 75,000 bribe from a contractor. The raid was conducted following a complaint by the contractor Jagannatha Reddy, who was reportedly asked to pay a bribe of Rs 75,000 to release the amount for pending bills of the animal feed that he had supplied.

Gopi Ravi(54), is an assistant conservator of forests (ACF) with a service of 25 years. The complainant, Jagannath is the proprietor of Anuradha Enterprises which has taken up several civil works including fencing works and its maintenance at the zoo in the past.

“The contractors are supposed to present the EMD and FSD while taking up works. This will be released after execution of the works complying with the procedures and standards,” the ACB DSP V. Ravi Kumar told. The EMD and FSD to be released amounted to nearly one lakh rupees but the curator urged the contractor to pay him Rs. 75,000.

“Actually, the curator earlier demanded 12 per cent of Rs. 11.71 lakh he had released to the contractor for some works already executed,” the DSP said.

Reminding Mr. Reddy that he had not paid the bribe earlier, the curator told him that he wouldn’t release the EMD and FSD unless he was paid the 12 per cent of commission relating to earlier released money.

“Ravi agreed to bring down the bribe to `75,000 against his earlier demanded Rs 1.5 lakh. We caught him red handed while accepting the bribe,” said the DSP.