Kochi | Kerala Vigilance officials have arrested a panchayat overseer after allegedly catching him red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 15 lakh for issuing a completion certificate for a warehouse, in what officers described as the biggest trap seizure in the department's history.

The accused, Deepesh Kumar, an overseer with the Vadavucode–Puthencruz grama panchayat in Ernakulam district, was held near the Kakkanad Collectorate at around 9.15 pm, officials said.

According to Vigilance officers, the complainant, who runs a transport business in Ernakulam, had built a new warehouse within the panchayat limits and applied online on January 21 for a completion certificate.

When the overseer visited the site for inspection, he allegedly demanded Rs 20 lakh to clear the file.

After the businessman told him he could not afford such a large amount, the demand was later reduced to Rs 15 lakh following phone conversations, officials said.

Unwilling to pay the bribe, the complainant approached the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau in Ernakulam. Acting on his complaint, a vigilance team set a trap.

On Tuesday night, the overseer allegedly accepted Rs 5 lakh in cash and a cheque for Rs 10 lakh at a pre-arranged spot near the Collectorate, when officers moved in and arrested him.

The accused will be produced before the Muvattupuzha Vigilance Court, officials said.

Further investigation is underway, they added.