Tiruverkadu civic officials in DVAC dock after cash seizure

The DVAC has named Planning Officer C Rajendran and Planning Inspector Kavitha Dayanidhi in the FIR registered after the sleuths carried out a raid at the municipality office on September 2 and seized the unaccounted cash.

The DVAC raid was carried out after receiving credible information that the officials of the Tiruverkadu Municipality were collecting bribe and indulging in other corrupt practices thereby violating the procedures to be followed while approving building plan of the applicants. There were also inputs about the Town Planning Officer and Town Planning Inspector violating procedures and thereby receiving illegal gain, the DVAC said.

During the raid, a file receipt was found in plastic cover along with Rs 1.25 lakh cash on the table of the Town Planning Officer. The money was seized though the official denied knowledge about it and how it landed on his table.

The search also led to the seizure of Rs 20,000 from the handbag of Planning inspector Kavitha.

It was later found that Rs 1.25 lakh was collected as bribe by Rajendran for issuing approval for a building plan, the DVAC said.

The rest of the amount, Rs 3,000, was seized from one private person who could not satisfactorily tell why he was carrying the money. He was found in the room with the officials.