Thiruvananthapuram: The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) has put 712 government employees from various departments under surveillance over bribery allegations.    

According to sources, the bureau has been collecting evidence on corrupt officials based on complaints against them.   

Among those under surveillance, 242 are from the revenue department, 180 from the local self-government department and 175 from the motor vehicle department. Officials of health and registration departments are also named in the list, sources said.

The vigilance has been closely monitoring the officials who delay clearing files without citing any reason. In 2023, vigilance booked 39 officials over bribery charges. In 2022, a total of 53 officials were arrested in 47 cases.

Officials, who received the benefit of the doubt earlier, have also been named in the list, sources said.

It is learnt that most complainants are not interested in initiating legal proceedings against corrupt officials. Hence, such officials managed to break free from the charges. Though the vigilance had bid to list the corrupt officials according to the seriousness of the corruption, the departments resisted the move.