Tax collector gets 2-year rigorous imprisonment for taking Rs 3,000 bribe

Chennai: The special court for cases under the Prevention Of Corruption Act, Chennai, awarded two years of rigorous imprisonment to a tax collector of the Chennai corporation for graft. The official collected Rs 3,000 from a person for lowering and revising property tax in 2009. According to K.Poornima Devi, special public prosecutor for the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, Srinivasan had entrusted the custody of his house at Subramaniya Bharathi Street, Perambur, to his brother in-law Sankar. Sankar unknowingly had been paying Rs 122 instead of Rs 18 as half yearly tax for the house from 2005 to 2008. In 2009 Sankar met D.Emmanuvel Devaprasad who worked as tax collector, Pulianthope, corporation of Chennai at his office in Perambur, and gave Rs 488 along with a property tax demand card for payment of property tax for 2008-2009-2010.

Later Devaprasad informed him that the existing half yearly property tax of Rs 122 paid by him was less and this would be increased after re-assessment. When Sankar requested tax at the existing rate, Devaprasad demanded a bribe of Rs 3000. On a complaint from Sankar, inspector DVACM. Kumaraguruparan registered a case and laid a trap to catch Devaprasad red-handed. On completion of the trial, special judge S. Kanchana said that the prosecution had proved the case beyond reasonable doubt. The judge sentenced Devaprasad to undergo 2 years rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 2,000 on him.