CHENNAI: Two Joint Directors, including the one for Regional Plant Quarantine Station in Chennai, and three others are under the scanner of the Central Bureau of Investigation for accepting bribes to issue phytosanitary certificates for exports and Consignment Release Orders for imports.
According to CBI Anti-Corruption branch, Dr P Manickam, joint director of Regional Plant Quarantine Station along with Satyanarayana, joint director, directorate of plant protection quarantine and storage, department of Agriculture, Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture, New Delhi, were intercepted at Chennai Airport while returning from Tuticorin.
“They were carrying illegal gratification worth Rs 7.10 lakh collected from Custom House agents.”
A case has been filed against the two joint directors as well as A Maharajan, assistant plant protection officer cum X-Ray technician, Rampratap, assistant plant protection officer, Tuticorin and Rajkumar, National Fumigation, Tuticorin.
The allegation is that the officials demanded bribe from Customs House Agents, fumigators and shipping agents of Tuticorin for issuing the certificates for exports and consignment release orders for imports. No arrests have been made in this case. Searches are being carried out in 13 places.