TIRUNELVELI: A Jahangir Basha, the former Ooty municipality commissioner who was caught red-handed by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) sleuths with Rs 11.7 lakh of alleged bribe money two weeks ago, has been posted as the assistant commissioner of Tirunelveli corporation.
Basha had earlier served as assistant commissioner in Tirunelveli in 2022.
According to the FIR registered under Section 7 of the amended Prevention of Corruption Act, Basha collected bribe money from various individuals, travelling after office hours on November 9.
A DVAC team, led by Inspector P Parimaladevi and Special Tahsildar (elections) K Srinivasan, followed Basha and intercepted his car at Doddabetta Junction and brought him to the municipality office. They seized the cash, concealed in covers, from his bag.
The FIR stated that Basha confessed to receiving Rs 2 lakh from a contractor, Raviprasad, for awarding a parking tender, Rs 2.5 lakh from Sahul Hameed for approving the conversion of a textile shop into a hotel, Rs 2.49 lakh from owners of commercial establishments, and Rs 4.7 lakh for illegally reducing tax on a shop.
Following the registration of the FIR, the municipal administration department placed Basha on a waiting list. However, on November 25, the Principal Secretary of Municipal Administration and Water Supply D Karthikeyan issued an order posting Basha as assistant commissioner of Tirunelveli corporation, raising concern among activists who expected his arrest and suspension.
When contacted by TNIE, Director of Municipal Administration S Sivarasu said he was waiting for the DVAC report to decide on further action. "We usually suspend officials caught red-handed while accepting bribes from the public. In this case, some amount was seized from Basha. Hence, we relieved him from his post and put him on a waiting list. Meanwhile, he has been posted in Tirunelveli," he said