Raid at Vellore TNEB guest house nets New Year cash, gold ‘gifts’

According to sources, the raid followed vigilance officials receiving information that some senior TNEB officials were taking gifts of cash and gold from subordinates under the guise of accepting New Year gifts.

Acting on the information, vigilance officials lay in wait near the TNEB guest house at GandhiNagar and after seeing subordinate officials entering and leaving the premises, a five-member team led by vigilance DSP Devanathan barged into the premises and after making everybody to leave, held inquiries with regional CE Nandagopal (57) and Superintendent Engineer (SE) Sakkan (57).

Sources revealed that both officials had coerced their subordinates into giving them expensive gifts as they were in charge of the Vellore, Krishnagiri, Salem and Dharmapuri districts.

During the raid, the vigilance team found 11 gold coins weighing 48 grams and Rs 1.53 lakh cash separated into denominations in addition to shawls and other garments estimated to be worth Rs 50,000. All goods were subsequently seized and vigilance sleuths said that cases would be filed against the two TNEB officials after inquiries.