VELLORE: Commissioner of Vellore city corporation was caught red-handed accepting a bribe of Rs 20,000 from a contractor this morning.
The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) sleuths rounded up the civic body's top officer as he was accepting a chemical coated cheque drawn in the name of one of his relatives.
Sources said T Kumar demanded money from a contractor T Balaji in order to release payment for the anti-dengue work the latter did on behalf of the corporation.
Balaji had carried out measures to control mosquito breeding in Vellore between April and June. As per the terms of the contract, the corporation must pay him Rs 10,90,200.
In his complaint to the DVAC, Balaji said Kumar was delaying the payment and demanded Rs 22,000. He said after a bargain, the officers settled for Rs 20,000. But on Monday, Balaji approached DVAC and filed a complaint.
On directions of the DVAC officials, Balaji went to the Corporation office today at around 11.30 am and handed over the cheque. As Kumar was accepting, it the DVAC officials barged in and caught him red-handed.
Kumar was remanded for 15 days in judicial custody by a court. Of the 12 city corporations in Tamil Nadu, three corporations - Vellore, Thanjavur, and Dindigul - are being headed by non-IAS officers. T Kumar is a group one officer in the rank of district revenue officer.