Home / Crime and Justice / Grieving Widow Fights Corruption, Leads to VAO's Arrest
Grieving Widow Fights Corruption, Leads to VAO's Arrest
28 Oct
Summary
- Village administrative officer arrested for bribery
- Widow sought inheritance certificate, VAO demanded ₹5,000 bribe
- DVAC sting operation catches VAO red-handed taking bribe
On October 26, 2025, a village administrative officer (VAO) in Krishnagiri district was arrested for accepting a bribe to issue an inheritance certificate. The arrested VAO, Ramanathan, was responsible for Mittahalli village.
The incident came to light when Lakshmi, the wife of a former army soldier V Ganapathi who recently passed away in a road accident, sought an inheritance certificate from Ramanathan. However, the VAO allegedly demanded a ₹5,000 bribe to issue the certificate. Lakshmi's maternal uncle, M Kasi, then lodged a complaint with the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on her behalf.
Acting on the complaint, DVAC officials provided Lakshmi with chemical-coated currency notes. In a sting operation, Ramanathan was caught red-handed when he accepted the bribe money from Lakshmi. He has since been remanded to judicial custody at the Salem central prison.
A case has been registered, and further investigation into the matter is ongoing. The incident highlights the persistent issue of corruption in government offices, even in sensitive matters like inheritance certificates for grieving families.
