Tax officer held for graft

The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC), Coimbatore detachment, on Tuesday arrested a commercial tax officer for allegedly demanding and accepting bribe from the owner of a private company.

A release issued by the DVAC said G. Vivekanandan, commercial tax officer for Avarampalayam circle, was arrested in a trap laid by the department.

According to the Vigilance, the auditor of a private company committed an error in the annual report submitted during the year 2014-15.

The owner of the firm, a woman, complained to the Vigilance that the commercial tax officer demanded ₹ 1 lakh as advance amount from her for not issuing an order to pay a penalty of ₹ 15,73,192.

A case was registered based on the woman’s complaint and the Vigilance laid a trap on Tuesday.

According to the Vigilance, Vivekanandan received ₹ 1 lakh from the complainant and the DVAC sleuths caught him red handed.