A Forest Ranger Subramanian was awarded three years rigorous imprisonment on charge of demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹ 4,000 from a landlord for giving permit to transport teak wood in 2010.
Chief Judicial Magistrate Vasanthi found him guilty on two counts under Prevention of Corruption Act and ordered him to undergo jail term for three years each and imposed a fine of ₹ 20,000 each. However, the court ordered him to undergo the imprisonment concurrently.
Sources said that one T. Radhakrishnan wanted to cut nine teak trees from his land in Padikasuvaithanpatti near Srivilliputtur and transport the logs to Kottaipatti. When he approached the Forest Ranger, he demanded the bribe for giving him the trip sheet.
Based on his complaint, the Virudhunagar unit of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption had registered a case in March 2010 and laid a trap for him. Subramanian was caught red-handed, the source said.
