Officials of the Directorate of Vigilance Anti Corruption (DVAC), Pudukottai unit, arrested an Assistant Engineer of the Public Works Department in Aranthangi taluk on bribe charge on Wednesday.
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Assistant Engineer Thennarasu (45) of Kallanai Canal Division had allegedly demanded ₹5,000 as bribe for recommending an application of a farmer Prabhakaran for a No Objection Certificate to sink a borewell in his land near the canal. DVAC sources said Prabhakaran had approached the Tangedco seeking power supply under the tatkal scheme to sink the borewell in his land. He was advised to obtain a No Objection Certificate from the Public Works Department since the land was close to the canal. Accordingly, Prabhakaran approached the Assistant Engineer who allegedly demanded bribe for recommending his application to the higher ups, the sources further said.
Unwilling to pay bribe, Prabhakaran lodged a complaint with the DVAC here and a case was registered. A trap was laid and the Assistant Engineer was allegedly caught red-handed when he obtained the bribe amount in his office at Nakudi. A search was conducted by the DVAC officials in his house at Nakudi. The arrested Assistant Engineer was later produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court here and remanded in judicial custody.