According to complainant T. Mathipal, 56, of Kayamozhi near Tiruchendur, his daughter Jasmine recently purchased a coconut grove measuring 87.68 cent. She applied with Village Administrative Officer of Kayamozhi Dhanasekaran, 51, for the ‘marginal farmer certificate’ as Ms. Jasmine wanted to install drip irrigation in the coconut grove to save the trees from acute summer.
When Dhanasekaran demanded bribe for giving the certificate, Mr. Mathipal refused to give the money. After prolonged delay, the ‘marginal farmer certificate’ was issued last month.
Since Ms. Jasmine had to update the ‘adangal’ of this land with the information that the farm has a deep borewell as the source for drip irrigation, she applied again with the VAO to include this information in the ‘adangal’. And, Dhanasekaran demanded ₹2,500 as bribe for updating the information as Mr. Mathipal approached the VAO on Tuesday.
Mr. Mathipal, who agreed to give him the bribe on Wednesday, filed a complaint with the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Police.
When Mr. Mathipal gave the bribe of ₹2,500 to Dhanasekaran on Wednesday, the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Police, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Peter Pauldurai, trapped him. The police also searched the VAO’s Office.
Further investigations are on.