On October 15, 2026, the Anti-Corruption Bureau in Hyderabad detained Pandala Sandhya Rakesh, an assistant engineer from the Telangana Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (TGSPDCL), while she was allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 1.2 lakh. The operation unfolded as part of a targeted sting, and the officer was later produced before a judge for judicial remand.
Pandala Sandhya Rakesh served as an assistant engineer in the Madannapet section under the Santosh Nagar subdivision of Hyderabad. Her responsibilities included processing online applications for new electricity meters. The case centers on six meter installations that were reportedly pending approval.
The complainant is said to have been asked to pay Rs 1.2 lakh in return for clearing the applications for the six new meters, which were intended to replace missing ones. According to the claims, the money was offered as a condition for approving the online filings, and the ACB intercepted the transaction.
After the arrest, Pandala Sandhya Rakesh was produced before a judge, who ordered judicial remand.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau, acting on a complaint, set up a trap that led to the engineer’s capture. After the arrest, Pandala Sandhya Rakesh was produced before a judge, who ordered judicial remand. The case was handed over for further investigation.
Following the arrest, Pandala Sandhya Rakesh was produced before a judge, who ordered judicial remand. The engineer will face the court’s decision on whether to extend custody or grant bail, and the investigation into the alleged bribe network continues.
The incident underscores the pressures within India’s power distribution units, where approvals for infrastructure such as meters can become points of vulnerability. The TGSPDCL, which oversees southern Telangana’s electricity distribution, now faces scrutiny over its oversight mechanisms. The episode also highlights the Anti-Corruption Bureau’s routine role in confronting such cases, reinforcing public trust in governmental accountability.