The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) in Coimbatore arrested a sub-registrar and a junior assistant on Wednesday for accepting a bribe.
According to DVAC officials, S. Karuppusamy, a resident of Dhanalakshmi Nagar in Siddhapudur, Coimbatore, approached Nancy Nithya Karoline (44) regarding the release of original documents related to a registration. Karoline then instructed Boopathiraja, a junior assistant, to conduct a field verification and collect a bribe from Mr. Karuppusamy. Unwilling to pay, Mr. Karuppusamy filed a complaint with the DVAC.
A trap was laid under the supervision of Additional Deputy Superintendent of Police M.P. Dhivya on Wednesday. DVAC provided Mr. Karuppusamy with currency laced with phenolphthalein, a substance that turns red when in contact with water. Boopathiraja accepted the ₹35,000 bribe from Mr. Karuppusamy.
DVAC officials, who were monitoring the transaction, immediately apprehended both Karoline and Boopathiraja. A phenolphthalein test confirmed their involvement in the bribe. The ₹35,000 was recovered from them.
During a search of Karoline’s car, officials found ₹13 lakh in unaccounted cash, which was subsequently seized.
In a related case from September 19, DVAC had seized ₹1.5 lakh from Keerthi Shankar, who allegedly acted as Karoline’s intermediary. Shankar was caught attempting to remove bribe money from Karoline’s office, and a case was registered. Investigations into both incidents are ongoing.
Published – October 09, 2024 10:52 pm IST
