A mining inspector was arrested by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) while allegedly accepting a ₹15,000 bribe from an applicant for granting permission to collect and sell river sand. The official was remanded in judicial custody on Friday (July 17, 2026).

P.P. Sreedharan, 49, a mining inspector and a native of Kuttiyeri near Taliparamba, was arrested. It is the first arrest made in Kannur under the VACB’s Project Zero, an initiative aimed at eliminating corruption in government offices.

According to the VACB, the complainant, a native of Cherukunnu, had applied for permission to collect and sell river sand in June 2025. Alleging undue delay in processing his application, he approached the Kerala High Court, following which the Mining and Geology Office called for the required documents.

When the complainant met Sreedharan, the official allegedly demanded a ₹30,000 bribe, later reducing it to ₹15,000 after the applicant expressed his inability to pay. The amount was to be paid during a site inspection scheduled for July 16. The complainant then approached the VACB, which laid a trap.