Last Updated: December 01, 2023, 23:56 IST
An ED officer was arrested on bribery fees after an 8-km chase on the Dindigul-Madurai freeway. (Picture for Representation)
The arrested official Ankit Tiwari was serving as an Enforcement Officer within the Madurai Enforcement Department workplace of the Union Government
A senior Enforcement Directorate officer was arrested by Tamil Nadu Police on Friday for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 20 lakh from a authorities worker, the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC), stated on Friday.
The ED officer was allegedly arrested on bribery fees after an eight kilometre chase on the Dindigul-Madurai freeway.
After he was taken into custody in Dindigul, a workforce of the DVAC officers held ‘enquiries’ on the sub-zone ED workplace in Madurai, with state policemen standing guard exterior the central authorities workplace.
An official launch from DVAC recognized the arrested official as Ankit Tiwari, “serving as an Enforcement Officer in the Madurai Enforcement Department office of the Union Government.” Tiwari’s home was additionally raided by DVAC officers.
Tiwari, a 2016-batch officer, had beforehand served in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh and is at the moment posted in Madurai, in accordance with The Indian Express.
In October, he contacted a authorities worker from Dindigul and talked about a few Vigilance case registered towards him in that district which was “already disposed off.” Tiwari “informed the employee that instructions had been received from the Prime Minister’s Office to conduct an enquiry” and requested the federal government worker to seem earlier than the ED workplace at Madurai on October 30, it stated.
When the person went to Madurai, Tiwari requested him to pay Rs 3 crore to keep away from authorized motion within the case, DVAC alleged.
“Later, he said that he had spoken to his superiors and as per their directions, he agreed to collect Rs 51 lakh as bribe. On November 1, the said employee had given him Rs 20 lakh as first instalment of bribe. Later, he (Tiwari) intimidated the employee on several occasions through WhatsApp calls and text messages that he should pay the full amount of Rs 51 lakh, otherwise he would face dire consequences,” the discharge stated.
The authorities worker grew suspicious and lodged a grievance on the Dindigul district Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Unit on Thursday. On Friday, the sleuths of DVAC caught Ankit Tiwari after he obtained Rs 20 lakh as bribe from the complainant. “Subsequently, he was arrested at 10.30 am under Prevention of Corruption Act.
It is pertinent to mention that the sleuths have seized several incriminating documents regarding his misconduct. Investigation is being done to elucidate whether he had blackmailed/ threatened any other officials adopting this modus operandi” and picked up cash within the title of Enforcement Directorate, the anti-graft company of the Tamil Nadu authorities stated.
Enquiry can even be carried out to determine the potential involvement of different ED officers, it stated, including Vigilance authorities have been conducting searches on the residence of Tiwari and his Enforcement Directorate workplace at Madurai. “Further searches will be conducted at the places associated with Ankit Tiwari,” the discharge stated.
Earlier, after the arrival of DVAC sleuths on the workplace of the central company in Madurai, Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel have been deployed by authorities contained in the ED workplace as a ‘security’ measure.
The presence of the state police and the Central police drive (ITBP, underneath the Central Armed Police Forces) on the similar time led to a flutter for some time within the Madurai neighbourhood. Dindigul, about 430 km from right here is close to Madurai and about 100 km from Tiruchirappalli in central Tamil Nadu.
Majid AlamMajid Alam is a Senior Sub Editor at News18.com. He at the moment writes Explainers on a spread of matters, together with politics, setting, well being, and int…Read More
Source: www.news18.com
