The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption arrested six people, including five government officials and a private individual, in four separate bribery cases across Tamil Nadu on Monday. The cases involved alleged demands for money to process land records, construction payments, electricity connections and property-tax documentation in Salem, the Nilgiris, Chengalpet and Karur districts.
The arrests followed trap operations by the respective DVAC detachments after complainants approached the agency over alleged bribe demands for routine government services. The arrested individuals were subsequently remanded in judicial custody, according to the report.
In Salem, village administrative officer Saravanan of Sekkadipatti village in Pethanaickenpalayam taluk and private individual Madhavan were arrested in connection with an alleged demand for Rs 4,000 to recommend the issuance of a separate patta. The complainant, Ramamoorthy, had submitted an application for the land document at the VAO’s office. After he approached the DVAC’s Salem detachment, officials organised a trap during which Madhavan allegedly received the money on Saravanan’s instructions.
In the Nilgiris, Ithalar panchayat secretary A Karthick was arrested for allegedly accepting Rs 20,000 from contractor Raja to process payment for completed construction work. Raja had constructed a water tank at Osatty village under the Ithalar panchayat and submitted a bill for Rs 6,90,955. The secretary allegedly first demanded 5% of the bill, amounting to about Rs 35,000, before reducing the demand to Rs 20,000. He was caught during a DVAC trap operation.
Two officials of the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited were arrested in Chengalpet. Assistant engineer Jayarani and foreman Saravanan were accused of demanding Rs 20,000 to provide six new electricity service connections. The complainant, Sambath of Singaperumalkoil, had applied for the connections in his son’s name. During the trap, the foreman allegedly received the money on the assistant engineer’s instructions.
In Karur, corporation bill collector Logeswaran was arrested for allegedly accepting Rs 3,000 from Annapoorani of Gandhi Gramam South. The payment was allegedly sought to prepare a property-tax assessment worksheet for her mother’s newly constructed house. The DVAC organised a trap after her complaint and arrested Logeswaran while he allegedly received the money.
The four cases cover services administered by village revenue offices, panchayats, the electricity distribution utility and a municipal corporation. The arrests now place the alleged transactions within the criminal investigation and judicial process. The DVAC’s trap operations followed complaints from residents and a contractor seeking services or payments connected to government agencies.
