The Ernakulam unit of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) arrested two Forest officials for allegedly accepting ₹1 lakh as bribe from a restaurant manager after threatening to implicate employees in a wildlife case.

The arrested are Deputy Range Officer Sreejith C.P. of Alappuzha and Section Forest Officer Jimmy Scaria of Piravom, both attached to the Mekkapala Forest Station.

According to the VACB, Jimmy Scaria was caught red-handed while accepting bribe near MGM School, Kuruppampady, around 9.45 p.m. on Thursday. Sreejith was later apprehended near a forest timber depot at Mudikkal.

The case stems from the arrest of two employees of a restaurant at Kakkanad on April 16 for allegedly killing a monitor lizard. After securing bail, they were directed to report before the forest station every Wednesday.

When they appeared at the station on May 6, officials allegedly threatened to implicate more staff unless money was paid to “settle” the case. The next day, the accused officials and others reportedly visited the restaurant, examined CCTV footage and warned that all employees could be arrested.

The complainant later approached the VACB, which laid a trap and arrested the officials.