Hyderabad: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered an FIR against Meenugu Bhumanna, superintendent of posts, Wanaparthy division, Kokku Gopinath, inspector of posts, Wanaparthy division, and unknown others for allegedly extorting ₹1.30 lakh from P Naresh, a post office employee, and later demanding ₹30,000 to release his pending substitute salary of about ₹1.50 lakh.According to the FIR registered on May 7, 2026, Naresh, who works as a Gramin Dak Sevak branch postmaster at Chintakunta branch post office under Srirangapur sub office in Wanaparthy division, alleged that Bhumanna, along with other officials, visited his branch post office and threatened to send him to jail over his association with an employees’ union.Threatened with ‘Put Off Duty’The FIR said the team later proceeded to the Wanaparthy division office with Naresh, carrying branch office records and office cash. There, Kokku Gopinath allegedly told Naresh that Bhumanna was angry with him and warned that if he failed to pay money, he would be placed under “put off duty”, causing him financial loss, including two years’ salary and 10 months’ substitute salary.Naresh alleged that on January 8, 2026, the accused extorted ₹1.30 lakh from the office cash. He further alleged that a bribe of ₹30,000 was later demanded for releasing his pending substitute salary of about ₹1.50 lakh for duties performed between 2024 and 2025.Audio recordings corroborated demand: CBIThe CBI said verification and audio recordings corroborated the bribe demand, including a demand verified as recently as May 6, 2026. The alleged offences were recorded as having taken place between January 8 and May 6, 2026.The accused have been booked under Sections 61(2) and 308(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Section 7(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, for alleged extortion and demand and acceptance of illegal gratification for improper performance of public duty.
