The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC), on Thursday, conducted raids in 24 locations across Tamil Nadu and seized around Rs 44 lakh of unaccounted money from the offices.
According to reports, the raids were conducted in the offices of Regional Transport Offices (RTO), Public Works Department, Aavin, TASMAC, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) etc. More than 50 alerts from informants and the public reportedly prompted the DVAC to conduct the raids.
The biggest recovery of unaccounted money was made at the office of the General Manager (in charge) in Aavin, Vellore from where the DVAC sleuths seized Rs 14.8 lakh. According to one of the officers, the General Manager (in charge) was demanding bribe to release arrears to machine operators and electricians. Rs 2 lakh was seized from the Public Works Department maintenance wing in Nilgiris and Rs 2.49 lakh was seized from the District Environment Engineer’s office of the TNPCB in Chennai. Rs 10 lakh was seized from Tiruvannamalai RTO while Rs 3.90 lakh was seized from Cuddalore RTO. More than Rs 1 lakh cash was seized from RTOs in Kovilpatti, Hosur and Coimbatore.
RTO Employee dies of cardiac arrest
Babu, a 51-year-old brake Inspector at the Coimbatore RTO died of cardiac arrest while the DVAC officials were conducting raids in his office on Thursday. Babu complained of chest pain suddenly and was rushed to a private hospital nearby, where he died on admission, reports stated.
Babu’s colleagues alleged that the DVAC officials had ‘mentally tortured’ Babu in the name of questioning, which led to his blood pressure shooting up. This led to heart congestion, following which Babu died. They also alleged that despite Babu vomiting blood, the DVAC officers delayed taking him to a hospital.