Date:14/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/14/stories/2009011460530800.htm

Tamil Nadu

Under Secretary held for graft

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: Officials of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption arrested an Under Secretary of the Home Department at the Secretariat here on Tuesday. According to sources in the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, P. Balaji, working as a Typist in the office of the Director General of Police, had lodged a complaint that the Under Secretary, Syed Sadakathullah, had demanded Rs. 10,000 as bribe to regularise his services. Mr. Balaji was appointed on compassionate grounds after his father, Parasuraman, who was working in Kancheepuram district passed away.

Under the direct supervision of the Deputy Superintendent of Police R. Valasarajan, a special team led by Inspectors, K. Jagadeeswaran and K. Lakshmikanthan, laid a trap on the Secretariat premises. Sadakathullah was arrested in the presence of official witnesses after he accepted the bribe money. Preliminary investigations revealed that the accused had taken bribe from many employees across the State who were appointed on compassionate grounds. Investigators conducted a search on the house of the official.

Sadakathullah was produced in a city court and remanded to judicial custody.