Probe against three Tasmac shop staff over seizure of Rs 80K cash

This unaccounted cash is suspected to be the share from the money that they charged from customers who visited the liquor shops – a constant complaint against the state-run shops.

The FIR filed by the DVAC has named R Venkatachalam, supervisor of Tasmac shop number 254, Otteri; K Mayakrishnan, supervisor of shop number 248, Otteri; and S Babu, supervisor of shop number 61 in Tondiarpet.

When the DVAC team raided the district manager’s office located in Ambattur Industrial Estate on November 1, S Beothangadurai, the office in-charge was not present because he has gone to attend a meeting at the headquarters.

Apart from the office staff, there were seven shop supervisors who had come to meet their superior when the searches were conducted, during which the DVAC officers seized cash from the supervisors.

While four supervisors satisfactorily explained the source of the small amount of cash they were carrying, the other three failed to give proper account for the amount they had in hand.

One of them, Mayakrishanan, could only give explanation for Rs 6,650, and the rest Rs 50,000 was seized from him, while Rs 20,000 was seized from Babu. Similarly, Venkatachalam was carrying Rs 11,700, of which he could not give account for Rs 10,000, taking the total seizure to Rs 80,000.

Sources indicated that the cash they were carrying was meant to be given to the officer in the Tasmac office. DVAC officers believe that the amount was the share of extra money extracted from customers at the Tasmac shop. The seizure was made under CrPC section 102 (Any police officer may seize any property which may be alleged or suspected to have been stolen, or which may be found under circumstances which create suspicion of the commission of any offence).