Chennai: Cop, RTO official under DVAC lens

CHENNAI: The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on Friday night conducted a search at the police Assistant Commissioner’s office at Thirumangalam and seized Rs 5.08 lakh.Working on a tip off, sleuths of DVAC entered Assistant Commissioner (AC) P K Kamil Basha’s office while he was meeting a contractor. They found Rs 2.5 lakh on the table of AC and another Rs 2.58 lakh was recovered from Selvam, a contractor, police sources said.The money was allegedly received from the contractor in connection with purchase of a piece of land, the sources said. 

DVAC officials kept a watch on the movement of ACP. Following a tip off, they went to the station after Selvam.“During enquiries, Selvam failed to give us a proper answer.  Since his reply was not acceptable,  we took him for inquiry and seized the cash as well,” said a police source.Meanwhile, Selvam of Kodungaiyur was also taken for inquiry. “They also searched the AC’s office for any evidence of corruption and left at 5 am on Saturday,” said police personnel.

During inquiry,  Kamil Basha had allegedly said the money was given to him by Selvam as personal financial assistance. The DVAC has given the Assistant Commissioner time to provide proper proof of the cash. Meanwhile, DVAC officials conducted a surprise check at the Regional Transport Office at Sriperumbudur and recovered Rs 1.87 lakh in cash which were strewn on the floor and also dumped inside bins. At least 12 vigilance officials led by Deputy superintendent of police Balasubramanian conducted a check at the office. 

RTO officer Venkatesan and Motor Vehicle Inspector Kannan were in the office during the search, sources said. As none of the officials claimed ownership of the cash strewn on the floor, police personnel seized it as ‘unaccounted’. The DVAC officials have initiated departmental action against the officials for seizure of unaccounted cash from the office, sources said.