VILLUPURAM: A village administrative officer who allegedly demanded sexual favours and bribe from an Irular woman was suspended from duty on Friday by the revenue divisional officer. R Arokiya Baskar Raj, VAO of Nallampalayam village in Vikravandi taluk, was accused of taking Rs 3,000 bribe for issuing the woman her husband’s death certificate and had subsequently asked for sexual favours to help the widow get pension.
The woman had filed a complaint to the SP on Thursday morning along with a CD bearing the audio evidence to substantiate her allegations. Official sources said the revenue Inspector of Vikravandi conducted an inspection at the woman’s house on Thursday evening.
Following the report, Villupuram RDO Shahul Hameed issued the suspension order for Raj on Friday. Further, Kandachipuram police have filed a case against the VAO under multiple sections including SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. “However, police neither revealed all the sections under which Raj was booked nor handed over the FIR copy to the woman until Friday evening,” the woman added.