In a decisive move against graft, the Andhra Pradesh Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested Kalingiri Shanti, an Assistant Commissioner in the Endowments Department, after raids exposed assets worth several crores disproportionate to her income. The operation, spanning multiple locations, uncovered gold, cash, luxury vehicles, and prime properties linked to her.

ACB teams targeted Shantis residences and offices in Tadepalli, Undavalli, Vijayawada, and Visakhapatnam on April 6. They recovered 770 grams of gold ornaments and bars, over 3 kg of silver articles, ₹1.15 lakh in cash, and ₹3 lakh across bank accounts. Key seizures included a high-end flat in Endada, a G+2 building in Kunchanapalli, a Volkswagen Polo car, and a two-wheeler. Documents hint at even larger hidden wealth, prompting ongoing probes under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Shanti, suspended from July 2024 to March 2026 over earlier bribery charges and reinstated via court order, was produced before a special ACB court in Vijayawada. The court remanded her to judicial custody until April 21, as investigators trace benami holdings and undeclared income sources.

This case underscores persistent vulnerabilities in Andhras Endowments Department, which oversees vast temple lands and donations exceeding thousands of crores annually. Similar scandals—like the 2021 arrest of officer Seelam Chandrasekhar Azad with ₹50 crore in assets—reveal how officials exploit oversight gaps for personal gain, from land encroachments to siphoned offerings.

Devotees and reformers alike decry the impact: funds meant for temple upkeep and priest welfare vanish into private empires. With ACB intensifying vigilance amid national anti-corruption drives, calls grow for tech-driven reforms, such as blockchain-ledger tracking of assets, already piloted successfully in Telangana. ACB officials vow to pursue all leads, potentially unearthing a broader network. Updates expected as the probe advances.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from NDTV.