THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Wing has uncovered massive irregularities in sub-registrar offices across the state during a statewide raid covering 72 offices. In a statement, Vigilance officials said they recovered Rs 1.46 lakh in cash from 13 agents who had arrived at various offices to pay bribes to officials.

Additionally, Rs 37,850 was seized from the record rooms of seven sub-registrar offices, and an unaccounted Rs 15,190 was recovered from four officials.

Verification of UPI applications linked to officials revealed that 19 officials across various sub-registrar offices had unlawfully received a total of Rs 9.67 lakh through UPI transactions from document writers.

The drive, codenamed Operation Secure Land, was launched on Thursday evening following credible information that corruption was rampant in sub-registrar offices.

During the operation, unaccounted cash of Rs 8,500 was seized from an official of the Kazhakootam office. In the Konni office, Rs 11,500 was seized from an agent, while Rs 24,300, hidden between registers in the record room, was also recovered. In the Pathanamthitta office, Rs 6,500 kept in a similar manner was seized, and an official in the Chengannur office was found to have received Rs 2,000 from a document writer via UPI.

In the Devikulam office in Idukki district, an officer was found to have received Rs 91,500 from a document writer. In the Peermade office, Rs 700 in unaccounted cash was found in the record room. In the Kochi office, two officials had received Rs 18,800 from document writers, while in the Thripunithura office, two officials had received Rs 30,610 via UPI as bribes.

At the Chalakudy office, an agent was found with Rs 4,600 meant for officers, while in the Kodungallur office, an agent was caught with Rs 6,400, and an official was found holding Rs 1,590 in unaccounted cash.

From the Malappuram office, an agent was nabbed with Rs 21,600, and an officer was found to have received Rs 1.06 lakh from two document writers over UPI. In the Manjeri office, an agent was caught with Rs 1,100, while Rs 4,700 was seized from the Nilambur office record room, where three employees had received Rs 1.03 lakh via UPI from document writers. From the Perinthalmanna office, an agent carrying Rs 26,000 was caught. In the Ponnani office, three agents were nabbed with Rs 7,860. In the Kuttipuram office, an agent was held with Rs 5,950, while an officer was caught carrying Rs 4,500, and another had received Rs 1,000 via digital payment platforms.

From the Feroke office, an agent was caught with Rs 20,000, and an officer had received Rs 59,225 via UPI from a document writer. In the Koyilandy office, an officer had received a kickback of Rs 4,750. In the Kozhikode office, an agent was caught with Rs 15,130 meant for officials. In the Kuttiady office, an agent was held with Rs 5,600, while an officer was found to have received the same amount as a bribe via UPI.

From the Kalpetta office, an officer had received Rs 1,250 via UPI from a document writer. In the Mananthavady office, an agent was caught with Rs 11,315, and an officer had received Rs 1,410 as a bribe. In the Sulthan Bathery office, an officer had taken Rs 3.37 lakh from document writers.

In the Badiyadka office in Kasaragod, an officer was found to have received Rs 1.89 lakh as a bribe from document writers.