NAMAKKAL: In a stringent penalty against corruption, the Namakkal district court here slapped a five-year jail term and Rs 50,000 fine on a village administrative officer (VAO) who received Rs 700 bribe for issuing a legal heir certificate.
The Namakkal Court’s verdict has come 17 years after the VAO Palanisamy was booked on corruption charges and two years after his retirement from service. In the year 1998, Palani alias Palanisamy who worked as a VAO of Vettampatti near Namakkal demanded Rs 700 from a resident of Chellappa colony, R. Lakshmi, for issuing a legal heir certificate. Lakshmi lodged a complaint with the vigilance and anti-corruption police who laid a trap and caught the VAO red-handed while he received Rs 700 as bribe.
The Namakkal Chief Judicial magistrate S. Malarmathi held Palanisamy guilty of corruption and awarded him five years of imprisonment. Besides, the accused should pay Rs 50,000 as fine in two installments, the judge said.
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