CHENNAI: A survey inspector attached to the Kancheepuram revenue department was arrested by the District Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) wing for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe from a farmer in connection with land acquisition for the proposed Parandur Greenfield Airport.
The accused, Sundara Vadivelu (50) of Tirukalimedu in Kancheepuram, was part of a joint verification team involved in processing land documents for compensation. The new airport is planned across about 4,800 acres in 15 villages, including Parandur and Ekanapuram, where land acquisition work is currently under way.
According to DVAC officials, Ranjith Kumar, a farmer from Kullappan Street in Kancheepuram district, had voluntarily offered 64 cents of land to the government and submitted a petition seeking compensation. During verification of the documents in Parandur A Area 4, the inspector allegedly demanded Rs 1 lakh to clear the file and facilitate release of compensation.
Unwilling to pay the bribe, the farmer lodged a complaint with DVAC DSP Kalaiselvan. Acting on the complaint, officials advised him to agree to pay Rs 50,000 as an advance and promise the remaining amount after the work was completed.
The vigilance team treated the currency notes with chemical powder and laid a trap. On Tuesday around 10 pm, when the farmer handed over Rs 50,000 at Chengazhu Neeroda area in Kancheepuram, officers who were keeping watch caught the inspector red-handed.
He was taken to the DVAC office in the Velligate area for further inquiry. A case has been registered against him and he has been remanded in custody.
Officials said investigations are under way to ascertain whether similar bribe demands were made to other farmers whose lands are being acquired for the airport project.