Sub-Registrars booked on charges of accepting bribe in Puducherry

Two Sub-Registrars of the Registration Department Office at Saram, Puducherry, have been booked by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption unit of the Puducherry police on charges of demanding a bribe for the registration of a settlement deed for a property in Mudaliarpet.

An officer in the Vigilance unit identified the accused as R. Sriganth and M. Baskaran. They have been booked under Sections 7, 12, 14 (1)(b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Steps are under way to arrest the accused. The case was registered following a complaint made by District Registrar J. Dayalane.

The charges came to light after a video of Mr. Sriganth allegedly taking a sum of ₹10,000 as bribe from a person near a toilet at the Registration office surfaced on social media. The Revenue department ordered an internal probe after suspending Mr. Sriganth. 

Later, it was revealed that Mr. Baskaran, who was assigned only to deal with marriage registration as Sub-Registrar, had collected ₹10,000 on behalf of Mr. Sriganth on another occasion in connection with the registration of the settlement deed. The Vigilance has gathered digital evidence as proof of Mr. Baskaran collecting the bribe, the officer said.