Surprise check by DVAC reveals channels of corruption in SRO office

The DVAC team that came to the sub registrar office at 5.50 pm on March 21, they found a man who was interacting with the public till then rushing out. When they checked, he was found in possession of Rs 16,100, a big amount for a person engaged for a daily wage of Rs 200. He told the officers that the money was collected as instructed by SRO in-charge P Damodaran in connection with documents registered on that day. 

Manickam said he was allowed to collect amount only up to Rs 5000, while bigger amounts were collected by SRO from document writers while returning home from office. By then, another person named S Senthil Kumaraswamy had left the premises with Rs 50,000, he added. 

DVAC said that that Senthil worked as lower grade staff at the SRO for more than 20 years and is presently engaged as data entry operator taking care of regular computer operations work and also work related to taking photographs of those registering documents. He is considered as the main link for collecting the bribe. Though the raiding team tried to bring him back using the SRO’s name, he did not return. A team visited his house, but he was not there either. 

SRO in-charge Damodaran claimed Manickam was acting on his own but failed to give satisfactory explanation for his failure to prevent the Manickam from collecting money from the public. 

DVAC has registered a case against Damodaran, Senthil and Manickam under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act.