Tamil Nadu’s Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption arrested six people, including five government officials and a private individual, in four separate bribery cases linked to routine public services in Salem, the Nilgiris, Chengalpet and Karur districts, according to a report by the Times of India citing the agency’s trap operations.
The arrests followed complaints from residents, a contractor and an applicant seeking government services. The cases involved a separate patta recommendation, payment processing for completed construction work, new electricity connections and preparation of a property-tax assessment worksheet.
In Salem, village administrative officer Saravanan of Sekkadipatti village in Pethanaickenpalayam taluk and private individual Madhavan were arrested after a complaint over an alleged demand for Rs 4,000 to recommend the issuance of a separate patta. The complainant, Ramamoorthy, had submitted an application at the VAO’s office. According to the report, the DVAC’s Salem detachment organised a trap, during which Madhavan allegedly received the money on Saravanan’s instructions. Both were arrested and remanded in judicial custody.
The Nilgiris case involved A Karthick, secretary of Ithalar panchayat. The DVAC alleged that Karthick accepted Rs 20,000 from contractor Raja to process payment for completed construction work. Raja had built a water tank at Osatty village under the panchayat and submitted a bill for Rs 6,90,955. The report said Karthick initially demanded 5% of the bill, amounting to about Rs 35,000, before allegedly reducing the demand to Rs 20,000. He was arrested during a trap operation and remanded in judicial custody.
In Chengalpet district, Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited assistant engineer Jayarani and foreman Saravanan were arrested in connection with an alleged demand for Rs 20,000 for providing six new electricity service connections. The complainant, Sambath of Singaperumalkoil, had applied for the connections in his son’s name. The report said the foreman received the money during the trap on Jayarani’s instructions. Both were arrested and remanded in judicial custody.
The fourth case was registered in Karur, where corporation bill collector Logeswaran was arrested for allegedly accepting Rs 3,000 from Annapoorani of Gandhi Gramam South. The money was allegedly sought to prepare a property-tax assessment worksheet for her mother’s newly constructed house. The DVAC organised a trap following her complaint and arrested Logeswaran while he allegedly received the amount.
Taken together, the cases relate to administrative points that directly affect residents and local economic activity: land documentation, municipal taxation, utility access and payments for public works. The report did not state whether departmental disciplinary proceedings had been initiated against the government employees. The arrested individuals will face the legal process, and the allegations remain subject to adjudication.
