TANGEDCO official held for taking bribe

TRICHY: The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC), Trichy, arrested an assistant executive engineer (AEE) of TANGEDCO on Tuesday for demanding and accepting bribe from a farmer for changing tariff.
AEE L Thirumaran, 49, of TANGEDCO at Thottiyam in Trichy was caught red-handed while receiving a bribe of Rs 2,000 from Thangarasu, 45, of Kavarapatti.
Deputy superintendent of police (DSP) G Manikandan said that Thangarasu co-owns five acres of ancestral land with his brother Ganesan. They have divided the land equally for farming. Ganesan's share contains an irrigation well while Thangarasu's share has a borewell. Both share a single free agricultural electricity connection for irrigation purposes.
A complaint was lodged with the electricity board, alleging that Thangarasu was illegally drawing water from both the borewell and the irrigation well using the shared electricity connection.

Following an investigation by electricity board officials, a fine was imposed on Thangarasu. Additionally, the electricity connection was changed to a commercial tariff one on June 7, 2024.
On June 25, 2024, Thangarasu received a call from Thirumaran that a person named Sumathi lodged a complaint with the TANGEDCO. As instructed by Thirumaran, Thangarasu met with AD Thirumaran at the TANGEDCO office in Thottiyam on June 26. AEE Thirumaran demanded a bribe of Rs 2,000 to resolve the complaint in Thangarasu’s favour and for changing the tariff earlier.

Unwilling to pay the bribe, Thangarasu lodged a complaint with the DVAC which laid a trap and caught the officer red-handed.