Sleuths from the Department of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, Erode Detachment, on Friday night arrested the Village Administrative Officer (VAO) of Ennamangalam in Anthiyur taluk and a middleman for demanding and accepting bribe for name change in patta.
Selvaraj (68), a farmer from Kottankudi Thottam in Ennamangalam Panchayat, approached VAO Sathish Kumar (35) for name change in patta. Sathish Kumar allegedly demanded ₹ 4,000 for processing the application. Unwilling to give money, the farmer alerted the DVAC sleuths, who laid a trap. The VAO had asked Selvaraj to handover the money to Balakrishnan(42), a middleman.
On Friday evening, when the farmer handed over the money to Balakrishnan at the VAO’s office, a team led by Inspector Rekha nabbed him. Balakrishnan told the sleuths that he was receiving the money on behalf of the VAO. A case was registered and the police arrested the VAO and the middleman. The two were produced before a court and lodged in prison on Saturday.
