COIMBATORE: DVAC seized a sum of Rs 11.7 lakh from Udhagamandalam Municipality Commissioner A Jahangir Basha on Saturday night and registered an FIR under section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act on Sunday. He is yet to be arrested.
According to sources, the team stopped a taxi in which Basha was going to Coimbatore railway station to board a train to his home town, and found an unaccounted sum of Rs 11.7 lakh in the vehicle. They seized the cash and took him to the municipality office for inquiry.
During quizzing, Basha admitted to having received the cash as bribe to give approval to builders for constructing buildings illegally. Talking to TNIE, a DVAC said Basha would receive bribe and take it to his native place. The search was effected based on this tip-off.
It may be noted that Basha assumed charge as municipal commissioner in August and had been working as municipal commissioner in Theni prior to that.