Two more firemen have been arrested in connection with the placing of unaccounted cash in the Office of Regional Deputy Director of Fire and Rescue Services in a bid to trap the officer.
During the surprise raid conducted by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Police in the Office of Deputy Director of Fire and Rescue Services in NGO Colony here on November 18 last, unaccounted cash of ₹2.51 lakh kept in six covers was recovered. DVAC police registered a case against Regional Deputy Director of Fire and Rescue Services, Tirunelveli, Saravana Babu, who denied that the money had been kept in his office in a bid to trap him.
When the CCTV footages from the cameras fitted in a house near the Regional Deputy Director’s Office were collected, the investigators found that an unidentified person, who came to the office in the small hours of November 18 on a bike with a few covers, was seen entering the office and leaving the office after 20 minutes.
As Mr. Saravana Babu filed a complaint with Commissioner of Police, Tirunelveli City, Santosh Hadimani, and submitted the CCTV footages, he formed a special team, led by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Tirunelveli East, Vinodh Santharam to crack the case.
During the course of investigation, the police found that fireman Anand and his relative Muthu Sudalai, both from Tirunelveli, were involved in this plot. After they were arrested, the police identified the person who kept the cash inside the Deputy Director’s Office as one Vijay of Melapalayam here, who was arrested at Dharavi, Mumbai. He was brought to Tirunelveli on Sunday.
Based on the information provided by Vijay, who allegedly agreed to put the money in the Deputy Director’s Office after collecting ₹40,000 as ‘service charge’, the police on Monday nabbed Ambattur Fire Station fireman Murugesan and Tirunelveli Station Fireman Murthy on Monday.
“Murugesan and Murthy have apparently introduced Vijay to the plotters to put the six covers containing ₹2.51 lakh in the Office of the Regional Director of Fire and Rescue Services in a bid to trap Mr. Saravana Babu, who unearthed a fake fire certificate scam when he was serving in Kanniyakumari district. Moreover, Mr. Saravana Babu, known in his department as upright and strict officer, has taken action against those who failed to perform. All the affected parties have joined hands against Mr. Saravana Babu in placing the unaccounted cash in his office with the help of an outsider. We’ve identified the involvement of a few senior officers in the Department of Fire and Rescue Services and also in a few more government departments, who have ganged up against Mr. Saravana Babu,” said sources in the police.
Published – December 08, 2025 08:50 pm IST
