Chennai: Forest officer arrested for demanding and accepting Rs 50,000 bribe

CHENNAI: The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on Monday arrested a forest officer for allegedly demanding and accepting Rs 50,000 bribe from a woman for issuing a licence near Uthukottai in Tiruvallur.

The arrested official was identified as Saravanan attached to the Red Hills forest range office in Seethanjeri. The complainant, Shanthi (40) of Pullarambakkam, is a timber trader. According to sources, the complainant approached Saravanan seeking a licence from the department.

The official demanded Rs 1 lakh from the complainant. Unwilling to pay the amount, Shanthi approached the DVAC and lodged a complaint. The anti-corruption police set a trap and instructed the complainant to set a meeting with the forest official and hand over chemical-laced currency notes. On Monday, when Saravanan took the currency notes from the complainant, he was caught red handed by the DVAC officials.

He was booked under sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Further investigation is under way.