Tirupur VAO Caught Red-Handed in Bribery Sting Operation
In a significant anti-corruption operation, the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) arrested a village administrative officer in Tirupur district on Monday for allegedly demanding and accepting bribes for processing a land document transfer.
The accused has been identified as Muthulakshmi, 44, who served as the Village Administrative Officer (VAO) of Vadugapalayam village. The arrest came following a formal complaint filed by Krishnasamy, a 33-year-old resident of Gandhi Nagar near Karadivavi village in Palladam.
The Bribe Demand and Complaint
According to DVAC officials, the case began when Krishnasamy applied for a patta name transfer for his father-in-law's land located at Arivolinagar near Vadugapalayam village. The land documentation process required the approval of VAO Muthulakshmi, who allegedly demanded Rs 30,000 as bribe to process the application.
Krishnasamy initially paid Rs 10,000 to the government official, hoping this would facilitate the name transfer process. However, Muthulakshmi continued to demand the remaining Rs 20,000 before she would approve the application.
Unwilling to pay the additional amount, Krishnasamy approached the DVAC officials on Monday and filed a formal complaint against the corrupt officer.
The Anti-Corruption Trap
DVAC officials immediately sprang into action and devised a plan to catch the VAO red-handed. They provided Krishnasamy with chemically laced currency notes that would serve as evidence in the bribery case.
Following the plan, Krishnasamy visited Muthulakshmi's residence and handed over the marked money to her. As soon as the transaction was completed, DVAC officials waiting nearby rushed in and arrested the VAO while she was still in possession of the bribe money.
Legal Consequences and Judicial Custody
The successful sting operation led to Muthulakshmi's immediate arrest on corruption charges. She was subsequently remanded to judicial custody as the legal proceedings against her begin.
This case highlights the ongoing efforts by anti-corruption authorities in Tamil Nadu to combat corruption at the grassroots level, where citizens often face demands for bribes when dealing with essential government services like land documentation and transfers.
The DVAC has encouraged other citizens facing similar demands for bribes from government officials to come forward and report such incidents, assuring them of proper action and protection throughout the process.
