Vigilance officials caught Village Administrative Officer (VAO) of Jaffarabad, Sangeetha, red-handed while receiving a bribe of Rs 1,000 at the Vaniyambadi Taluk office on Saturday.
Sources said Mohammed Ali, a resident of Jaffarabad in Vaniyambadi, had mortgaged his jewellery in a bank before he died in 2012. Bank officials had asked his family members to produce a legal heir certificate in order to recover the jewellery.
Haaji Basha, brother of deceased Mohammed Ali, approached Jaffarabad VAO Sangeetha, to obtain the certificate. However, Sangeetha reportedly demanded a sum of Rs 2,000 as bribe for the certificate. However, she later agreed for Rs 1,000 as bribe, to issue the certificate.
Meanwhile, Haaji Basha lodged a complaint with the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC), Vellore, regardAing the bribe demanded by Sangeetha. As per the plan devised by the DVAC officials, Haaji Basha gave chemical-coated currency notes to Sangeetha, at the Vaniyambadi Taluk office on Saturday afternoon.
When Sangeetha was receiving the money, the DVAC team led by Vellore DSP Balasubramaniam, caught her red-handed. Sangeetha was arrested and remanded at the Vellore Central Prison for Women.