Indore:CEO of Janpad Panchayat in Thandla of Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh was today caught taking a bribe of Rs 20,000, Lokayukta police said.

The accused R K Bakhtaria was caught following a tip-off that he was accepting a bribe of Rs 20,000 at his office at Thandla from one Partha, husband of sarpanch of Chikhlia village, police said.

The officer was demanding a bribe of Rs 45,000 for releasing Rs four lakh funds to the village panchayat for carrying out various development works in the village, they added.

The CEO had already taken an advance of Rs 10,000 from the sarpanch. A case has been registered against the CEO and a peon, who helped him in this regard under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.