PANAJI: The director of animal husbandry and veterinary services, P K Patidar was caught red-handed on Tuesday evening by the sleuths of the anti-corruption bureau of the state vigilance department while accepting a bribe of Rs 15,000.

The Superintendent of Police, Mr Bosco George, who heads the ACB, informed that Patidar, who is also the registrar of co-operative societies, had demanded 10 per cent of the total amount of Rs 22 lakh from a contractor to clear his bills.

The contractor, Mr Vivekanand Naik had supplied dry grass to the animal husbandry and veterinary services as cattle feed and had been making rounds of the office of Patidar for some time. The contractor then negotiated with Patidar and he agreed to accept Rs 15,000 from the contractor to clear his bills.

In the meanwhile, Mr Naik approached the ACB and lodged a complaint against Patidar and accordingly a trap was laid by the bureau. Patidar was trapped soon after he received the amount from Mr Naik.

Mr George further said that the house of Patidar was also searched late in the evening adding that the government official could be arrested for the criminal act committed by him. The raid was carried out at the office of the registrar of co-operative societies at the fag end of the day. It is for the first time that in the recent past a senior level officer has been caught accepting bribe.