DVAC raid at Poonamallee BDO, Rs 1.6 lakh cash seized

CHENNAI: The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption sleuths on Friday conducted surprise checks at the premises of Block Development Office (BDO), Poonamallee, based on a specific tip off. Unaccounted cash worth Rs 1.6 lakh was seized, according to the officials.

At the BDO offices, works such as layout approval, plan approval and regularisation of un-authorised plots are being carried out. "The government fees will be paid in banks through challan payment. There is no business for money transaction in the BDO office," according to an official statement.

On Friday, upon receiving credible information that the officials from BDO, Poonamallee were collecting bribes from applicants and contractors, a joint raid was conducted by the DVAC's Chennai city-II unit and the district inspection cell officials.

During the surprise check, Rs 1.6 lakh unaccounted cash was seized, of which Rs 60,000 was seized from the table of Rehana Begun, accountant in the office and Rs 1 lakh cash was seized from D Nagaraj (private person) applicant for regularisation of 10 plots who was in the cabin of BDO, Sivakumar.

Nagaraj stated to investigators that he brought the cash on the instruction of the BDO.