DVAC seizes 16 lakh bribe money from cooperative society manager in Coimbatore

Coimbatore: Sleuths attached to the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) seized Rs15.9 lakh of bribe money from the manager of a cooperative society at Vadambacherry near Sulur here on Monday.
According to a DVAC sleuth, they, along with the officials attached to the district inspection cell, conducted a raid at the office of the Primary Handloom Weavers Cooperative Society at Vadambacherry near Sulur around 3pm on the day based on a specific tip that the staff there were indulging in corruption.
He said Soundappan, 54, the manager of the cooperative society, was in the habit of collecting bribe from the handloom weavers receiving subsidies from the govt in Coimbatore, Madurai, Trichy and Kancheepuram circles.
"Handloom weavers from these districts supply dhotis and saris to the cooperative society. The govt provides them with incentives and subsidies based on the production of handloom products," the DVAC sleuth said.
Pointing out that more than 700 handloom weavers were members of the cooperative society, he said Soundappan always demanded bribes from them for providing the incentives. "He collected Rs15.9 lakh from them as a bribe. The amount was kept in his table. We seized the same during the search operation."
The DVAC sleuths have registered a first information report against Soundappan under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Further investigation is on.