Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala's Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) intensified its crackdown on graft in 2025, recording 201 corruption cases and a historic high in "trap" operations, according to agency data released Friday.

The bureau reported 57 successful trap cases for the year, during which 76 individuals, including public servants and private intermediaries, were apprehended while allegedly accepting bribes. Officials stated this represents the highest volume of red-handed arrests in the agency's history.

The revenue department topped the list of offenders with 20 trap cases, followed by the local self-government department with 12 and the police department with six. Other instances were recorded in the education sector and the Kerala State Electricity Board, each seeing three cases, while 13 additional cases were spread across various other government wings.

Geographically, the central zone in Ernakulam saw the most activity with 28 trap cases. The northern zone in Kozhikode followed with 15, while nine were reported in the eastern zone (Kottayam) and five in the southern zone (Thiruvananthapuram).

"Agents and middlemen play a key role in facilitating corruption in government offices," a vigilance official noted, explaining why the bureau sharpened its focus on intermediaries over the last 12 months.

The agency's broader enforcement efforts in 2025 included:

  • 201 total vigilance cases registered.
  • 1,152 surprise inspections were conducted based on intelligence.
  • 9,193 public complaints processed.
  • 136 confidential probes and 300 preliminary inquiries initiated.

Judicial outcomes also saw an uptick, with vigilance courts convicting 39 individuals across 30 cases. Additionally, VACB teams tracked down and jailed 12 previously convicted persons who had been at large after their sentences were upheld by appellate courts.

A notable shift in 2025 was the rising scale of bribery. While historical cases often involved small sums, several of last year’s seizures involved amounts in the hundreds of thousands of rupees. Total bribe money recovered for the year reached 14,92,750 rupees, including single seizures of 2 lakh, 1.5 lakh, and 1 lakh rupees. The bureau also adapted to modern methods, booking three cases where bribes were funnelled through Google Pay.

Structural changes accompanied the enforcement surge. The VACB, acting as a nodal agency, established an internal vigilance mechanism across all departments. Internal officers now provide regular anti-corruption reports directly to the bureau. The agency also updated its official Vigilance Manual and launched 24-hour toll-free and WhatsApp hotlines to streamline public reporting.

Vigilance Director Manoj Abraham emphasised that the agency remains "uncompromising" in its mission for the new year. He urged the public to continue their cooperation, stating that citizen reporting remains vital to the vision of a "corruption-free Kerala."