Panchayat Secretary Caught Red-Handed Taking Bribe

In the Nilgiris district, a panchayat secretary has been arrested by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on charges of bribery. A. Karthick, aged 35, was apprehended after accepting Rs 20,000 from a contractor. This payment was reportedly a bribe for processing a bill related to water tank construction work. The contractor, Raja of Emerald, had submitted a bill amounting to Rs 6.90 lakh for the completed project in Osatty village.

Karthick initially demanded 5% of the bill amount, approximately Rs 35,000, but later agreed to accept Rs 20,000. After the contractor lodged a complaint with the Nilgiris DVAC unit, officials orchestrated a sting operation. The contractor handed over chemical-laced currency notes to Karthick at his office. DVAC sleuths, who were concealed nearby, caught Karthick in possession of the bribe money and subsequently remanded him in judicial custody.