Surprise check at Poonamallee Block Development Office leads to seizure of ₹1.6 lakh of unaccounted for cash

The check was conducted based on information that officials at the BDO were collecting a bribe; while ₹60,000 was found at a staff member’s desk, ₹1,00,000 was found on an individual who stated he had brought it on the instructions of the block development officer

Officers of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) conducted a surprise check at the Block Development Office (BDO) in Poonamallee, and recovered unaccounted for cash, amounting to ₹1,60,000, from a staff member and an individual there.

Work such as approvals for layouts and plans, and regularisations of unauthorised plots, take place at the BDO office. Fees are paid at banks through challans, and so, there should be no money transactions that take place at the office, sources said.

On Friday, on receiving credible information that officials at the BDO, Poonamalle were collecting a bribe, a joint surprise check by DVAC officials from Chennai City-II along with the District Inspection Cell Officer, was conducted.

During the surprise check, ₹1,60,000 of unaccounted for cash was seized, a press release from DVAC said. ₹60,000 of unaccounted for cash was seized from the table of Rehanabegum, accountant, and ₹1,00,000 of unaccounted for cash was seized from D. Nagaraj, an applicant who had come in for the regularization of 10 plots, and who was in the cabin of BDO Sivakumar at the time of the check.

Nagaraj stated that he had brought the cash on the instructions of BDO Sivakumar.

An inquiry is on.