Chennai, Oct 2:
The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) arrested 15 Tamil Nadu government officials during a month-long anti-corruption drive in September after conducting 19 trap operations across the State.
According to the DVAC, the officials allegedly demanded and accepted bribes ranging from Rs 1,500 to Rs 7 lakh for carrying out official duties.
The agency said it seized a total of Rs 2.15 crore during the operations. The arrests involved officials from several departments and levels of the government administration.
Those arrested included junior assistants, commercial inspectors, district environmental engineers, village administrative officers, field surveyors, assistant engineers, panchayat secretaries, municipal engineers and special tahsildars.
The cases emerged from complaints alleging that government officials had sought money from members of the public in return for providing services or completing official procedures.
DVAC teams conducted trap operations after verifying the complaints and gathering preliminary evidence, according to officials. The agency’s action forms part of its continuing efforts to detect bribery through surprise operations and complaints from members of the public.
The range of officials arrested also highlights the fact that the alleged bribery cases were not confined to one department or one level of administration. Officials dealing directly with the public, including those handling revenue, local administration, engineering and other government services, were among those arrested.
The agency has repeatedly urged members of the public to approach it when government officials demand illegal gratification for performing their duties.
The latest September figures come amid continued scrutiny of corruption in public administration. The arrests, however, relate to individual cases and allegations, and the accused will be subject to the legal process.
The DVAC’s action is expected to put government departments on alert, particularly offices where officials regularly deal with applications involving certificates, permissions, inspections, licences and other public services.