Indian Oil Executive Nabbed in Bribery Scandal

Alex Mathew, a Deputy General Manager at Indian Oil Corporation, was arrested for accepting a Rs 2 lakh bribe from a gas agency owner. The officer had demanded Rs 10 lakh to prevent customer transfers. The owner alerted the Vigilance Department, leading to Mathew's arrest.

On Saturday, a Deputy General Manager of the Indian Oil Corporation faced arrest following allegations of bribery. The official, identified as Alex Mathew, was apprehended at the residence of a gas agency owner in Kuravankonam, accused of accepting a bribe worth Rs 2 lakh. This action unfolded as part of a sting operation conducted by the Vigilance Department's Special Investigation Unit-1.

Reports from the Vigilance Department indicate that Mathew had allegedly solicited Rs 10 lakh to avoid transferring customers away from a gas agency managed by his wife. When the agency owner refused the demand, Mathew reportedly reallocated over 1,200 customer connections to competing agencies.

The escalation reached a point where the gas agency owner opted to inform authorities after Mathew threatened further customer reassignment. This intervention led to Mathew's capture during the transaction. The case is set to advance to a vigilance court for further proceedings.

(With inputs from agencies.)