Thanjavur Corporation Commissioner M. Varadarajan was on Friday arrested by sleuths of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) while allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹75,000, for fixing a lower vacant land tax, from a person at his office here. The official was due for superannuation in 40 days.
D. Sambandham, a retired Railways employee and belonging to the Keezha Vasthachavadi here, had petitioned the Corporation for fixing a lower vacant land tax for his 15,500 sq.ft. property in Ward No. 6 of the civic body on August 18 last.
When things did not move, he got in touch with Nagarajan, 58, of North Main Street here who allegedly interacted between the official and the petitioner to facilitate the job of fixing a lower tariff. The Corporation Commissioner had allegedly sought ₹75,000 as bribe to fix a lower tariff.
Unwilling to pay the bribe demanded and irked over the wanton delay in assessing the property, Mr. Sambandham preferred a complaint with the DVAC office here.
Acting on the advice of the DVAC officials, Mr. Sambandham went to the Corporation office near the Old Bus Stand here and handed over ₹75,000 to Mr. Nagarajan, who in turn gave that to Mr. Varadarajan. DVAC officials, who were nearby, caught the two in the act.
After arresting Mr. Varadarajan and Mr. Nagarajan, the police interrogated them separately besides mounting a search on the premises of the Commissioner. Further investigation is under way.
