In a significant anti-corruption operation, officials from the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) apprehended a block educational officer in Trichy on Monday. The arrest was made on allegations of soliciting and accepting an illegal gratification of Rs 1,500 from a government school teacher.
The Bribery Allegation and Complaint
The accused official has been identified as J Latha Baby, aged 54. She was serving as the Block Educational Officer (BEO) for Trichy block and was also holding additional charge of the Vaiyampatti block. The complainant, a teacher named Vimala from Manapparai, was transferred from a school in Vaiyampatti block to a school in Manapparai in July.
Vimala had worked for four days in July at her previous school before joining the new posting. She was entitled to her salary for those four days but required a non-drawal certificate to claim the pending wages. When she approached BEO Latha Baby for the certificate on Friday, the officer allegedly demanded a bribe to process the document.
The DVAC Trap and Arrest
Unwilling to comply with the corrupt demand, Vimala approached the Trichy unit of the DVAC and filed a formal complaint on Monday. A specialized team, led by Inspector F Xavier Rani, swiftly laid a trap. The complainant was instructed to hand over the bribe amount using chemically laced currency notes totaling Rs 1,500.
The plan was executed successfully, and the DVAC team caught Latha Baby red-handed while she was accepting the money. This led to her immediate arrest at the scene.
Legal Proceedings and Custody
The arrested BEO has been charged under the relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Following her arrest, she was produced before a judicial magistrate. The magistrate ordered her to be remanded in judicial custody.
Subsequently, J Latha Baby was lodged at the women's prison in Trichy. The case highlights the ongoing vigilance against corruption within the state's administrative machinery, particularly in departments interfacing directly with the public.
