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*Corruption Rampant at Jagtial Sub-Registrar Office, Allege Locals*
*Citizens claim ‘daily festival of bribes’; demand government action*

*JAGTIAL, APRIL 23:* The Sub-Registrar Office in Jagtial, Telangana, is facing serious allegations of institutionalised corruption, with locals claiming that the office has turned into a “hub for bribe collection” instead of a public service centre.

According to reports published in regional daily _Nedi Disha_ on April 24, 2026, officials at every level, from attenders to senior staff, are allegedly demanding illegal payments for routine services, placing a severe financial burden on ordinary citizens.

*‘Money moves files, not rules’*
Residents allege that a parallel system operates within the office where no work proceeds without unofficial payments. “For NALA conversion, Rs 10,000 is demanded. House registrations cost an additional Rs 7,000, and even marriage registrations require Rs 1,200 extra,” said a local resident on condition of anonymity.

Sources estimate that the office handles around 30 registrations daily. At an average illegal collection of Rs 6,000 per transaction, the daily unaccounted amount touches Rs 1.8 lakh. This translates to approximately Rs 45 lakh per month and over Rs 5.4 crore annually.

The issue is not confined to Jagtial alone. Estimates suggest that similar practices across the erstwhile Karimnagar district amount to an alleged Rs 72 crore corruption network annually, with Jagtial emerging as a key centre.

*‘Server busy’ used as pretext*
Complainants say officials deliberately delay work citing “server busy” or “errors in documents” to pressure applicants into paying bribes. “If you don’t pay, the file doesn’t move. If you pay, it gets cleared immediately,” another citizen alleged.

Despite recent raids by the Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Vigilance Department, locals claim there has been no change in the ground situation. Allegations have also surfaced that digital payment platforms like PhonePe and GPay are being used to collect bribes, with document writers acting as intermediaries.

*Public demands action*
Citizens have urged the state government to take stringent action against those involved. “The hard-earned money and property of the common man are being looted. If the government does not act now, the Jagtial Sub-Registrar Office will become a permanent symbol of corruption,” a group of residents said.

The Sub-Registrar Office was decorated for an event recently, but locals argue that the festive appearance masks the daily distress faced by applicants.