CHENNAI: A survey inspector, who allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 1 lakh from a farmer in connection with land acquisition for the Parandur greenfield airport project, was arrested by the Kancheepuram District Vigilance and Anti-Corruption officials.
The second airport for Chennai is planned at a 4,800-acre site spread across 15 villages, including Parandur and Ekanapuram in Kancheepuram. Land acquisition is under way, with revenue officials and survey teams processing compensation claims from landowners.
Ranjith Kumar, a farmer from Kullappan Street, had applied to hand over his 64 cents of land for adequate compensation. When his application came up for scrutiny, Sundara Vadivelu (50), a survey inspector attached to Thirukalimedu and part of the verification team, allegedly demanded Rs 1 lakh to complete the formalities and facilitate the release of compensation.
Unwilling to pay the bribe, the farmer approached the DVAC and lodged a complaint. Acting on the agency’s advice, he told the official over phone that he would pay Rs 50,000 as advance and that the balance would be paid after the work was completed. The survey inspector accepted the arrangement.
DVAC personnel gave Ranjith chemically treated currency notes and instructed him to meet the official. Instead of asking him to come to the office, the survey inspector directed him to bring the money to a secluded spot in Kancheepuram late at night. Around 10 pm, after the cash was handed over, DVAC personnel in plainclothes surrounded the official and arrested him on the spot.
He was later taken to the Parandur greenfield airport project office at White Gate for questioning in the presence of senior revenue officials. A case has been registered, and further investigations are under way to ascertain whether he had taken bribes from other landowners as well.