‘Operation Secure Land’ Busts Bribe Racket in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: In a crackdown on corruption, the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau has uncovered large-scale bribery and malpractice across sub-registrar offices in Kerala. The flash inspection, ‘Operation Secure Land’, was carried out on Thursday evening, August 7, following credible information received by Vigilance Director Manoj Abraham IPS about ongoing irregularities in land registration services.

The flash raids were conducted simultaneously in 72 sub-registrar offices across the state. During the inspections, Vigilance officials seized Rs. 1,46,375 in cash from 15 agents who were allegedly trying to pay bribes to officials on behalf of clients. These agents had arrived at the offices carrying the cash meant to facilitate quick or illegal clearances of property-related documents.

In several offices, unaccounted money was also found hidden in record rooms and among office files. A total of Rs. 37,850 in cash was recovered from seven different sub-registrar offices where the money had been stashed away in an attempt to avoid detection. Meanwhile, Rs. 15,190 was found in the personal possession of four government employees, with no official records to explain the source of the money.

Alongside the cash seizures, the Vigilance team also uncovered digital transactions suggesting deeper and more organised corruption. Investigation found that 19 government officials had received bribes amounting to Rs. 9,65,905 through UPI payments. In most of these cases, the money was collected by document writers — unofficial middlemen — who charged the public extra money over the legal fees and later transferred part of it to officials.

According to Vigilance Department, in many places, document writers were being used as agents by corrupt officials to collect bribes in return for providing services like document registration, property transfer, and other related tasks. There are also reports that some officials were helping buyers undervalue property documents — in exchange for bribes — so that they could pay less stamp duty and registration fees.

In certain areas, especially those covered under government-assisted housing schemes, Vigilance suspects that corrupt practices were carried out by deliberately registering flats and apartments at reduced prices. This not only benefited individuals but also resulted in significant revenue loss to the government.

As part of the inspections, significant amounts of money were seized from different districts.

In Thiruvananthapuram, Vigilance recovered Rs. 8,500 from an official at the Kazhakootam sub-registrar office. In Pathanamthitta, Rs. 11,500 was found with an agent in Ranni and Rs. 24,300 was recovered from hidden spots inside the office record room. At the main Pathanamthitta office, another Rs. 6,500 was found stashed away among official documents.

In Alappuzha, a document writer in Chengannur was found to have transferred Rs. 2,000 via Google Pay as a bribe. In Idukki, one writer in Devikulam had sent Rs. 91,500 digitally to an official, while in Peerumedu, Rs. 700 in hidden cash was recovered. Another writer in Udumbanchola was found to have paid Rs. 15,000 as a bribe through Google Pay.

In Ernakulam, an agent who came to the Aluva sub-registrar office was caught with Rs. 9,500 in cash, and an official there had an additional Rs. 600 with no proper records. In Kakkanad, digital evidence showed Rs. 18,800 was transferred as bribes through Google Pay.

Speaking to the media, Vigilance Director Manoj Abraham IPS confirmed that the operation was part of a wider effort to clean up the registration department and restore public trust in government services. He said that statements were being recorded from both staff and the agents involved, and that further legal action would follow based on the findings.

Officials said that more such inspections will be conducted in the coming days as part of a sustained effort to crack down on bribery in land registration services.

The public has also been encouraged to come forward with complaints or tip-offs about corruption. The Vigilance Department has made it easy for people to report such cases through its toll-free number 1064, the phone number 8592900900, or via WhatsApp at 9447789100.