A Junior Engineer working in the office of the District Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Officer at the Collectorate was arrested by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC), Tiruchi unit on bribe charge here on Monday.
Bank pass books and incriminating documents showing the purchase of a large quantity of gold jewels were seized by the DVAC sleuths from the residence of the Junior Engineer S. Kalaivanan (44) at Renga Nagar in K.K. Nagar area in the city.
According to DVAC sources, Periyasamy (78) of Thottiyam, who retired as a school teacher in 1991, registered himself as a contractor in the office of the District Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Officer at the Collectorate here in 1995. His licence was renewed every year.
Periyasamy received a cheque for Rs. 1.99 lakhs for the works already executed by him. As his licence expired on March 31 this year, he filed a petition for renewal of licence with effect from April 1. Since the petition was pending, Periyasamy met Kalaivanan a few days ago and enquired as to whether his licence had been renewed.
The sources said Kalaivanan demanded Rs 25,000 as bribe from Periyasamy for issuance of the cheque which the latter had received earlier without giving him 10 per cent commission as well as for arranging the renewal of licence. Unwilling to pay the bribe, Periyasamy reported the matter to the DVAC, Tiruchi unit.
A trap was laid in the office of the District Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Officer at the Collectorate where Kalaivanan was caught red handed by the DVAC sleuths while obtaining Rs. 25,000 from Periyasamy on Monday. The Junior Engineer was produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Rajasekaran and remanded to judicial custody. He was lodged in the Central Prison here.
