OFFICIALS of Tamil Nadu Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption searched the office of Enforcement Directorate(ED) in Madurai after arresting an officer of the central agency for allegedly extorting Rs 20 lakh from a State Government employee, sources said on Saturday. In an unprecedented action,the DVACofficials arrested Ankit Tiwari on charges of demanding and accepting bribes from a Government doctor, who is an accused in a disproportionate assets case. Thesleuths seized Rs 20 lakh cash from his car, which he had allegedly received as a bribe. The ED official was then taken to the V&A Cofficein Dindigul for interrogation.

 

They later conducted searches at the ED’sMaduraiofficeandhisresidencelate on Friday and reportedly seized several documents and later sent the officer to a 14-day judicial custody. This is the first time inTamilNaduthat an officer of ED has been arrested. Following a complaint received from Dr Suresh Babu of Dindigul, the V&AC had registered a case againstthe ED officialonThursday.

 

Asperthecomplainant, he worked as Deputy Superintendent in the Government Hospital in Dindigul. A case of accumulating assets disproportionate to his known sources of income was booked against him in 2018. He alleged that Tiwari had contacted him a few months ago and demanded a bribe of Rs 3 crore to relieve him of the charges. As the doctor refused to pay the huge money, Tiwari negotiated with him to part with Rs 51 lakh. The complainant said on November 1 he had handed over Rs 20 lakh in cash to Tiwari.