CHENNAI: A grade-I foreman of the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL) was arrested by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on Wednesday on charges of accepting a bribe of Rs 5 lakh, while an assistant engineer who allegedly demanded the money is absconding.
The complainant, Sasikumar, a resident of Kennedy Square Main Road in Thiruvika Nagar, Perambur, had applied to the TNPDCL Assistant Engineer’s office in Guindy to increase the electricity load for his commercial building from 5 kW to 49 kW. Assistant engineer T Sathyamoorthy allegedly demanded `5 lakh to facilitate the additional load connection.
Unwilling to pay the bribe, Sasikumar approached DVAC’s Chennai detachment and lodged a complaint. A case was registered and a trap was set up on Wednesday. During the operation, foreman John De Brito allegedly demanded and accepted the bribe amount on Sathyamoorthy’s instructions. He was arrested while efforts are under way to trace the assistant engineer.