Two officials in Social Welfare Dept. caught red-handed while taking bribe from a beneficiary in Virudhunagar district

Two women officials of the Department of Social Welfare were caught allegedly accepting a bribe from a beneficiary in Sattur in Virudhunagar district on Thursday.The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) police received a complaint from Thamaraikannan, 27, of Anna Nagar. An electrician by profession, he had married Priyadarshini last month.Having applied for monetary assistance under the inter-caste marriage scheme, Thamaraikannan submitted an application with the Social Welfare Department a week ago.However, he was allegedly made to visit the office repeatedly on the pretext of submitting documents and community certificates. Even after he furnished all the required documents, officials allegedly delayed processing his application and demanded money to facilitate the issuance of the pay order.When he refused, the officials allegedly directed him to meet a superior officer at the Virudhunagar district Collectorate. Thamaraikannan then approached the DVAC police and lodged a complaint.After registering a case, the police gave him currency notes treated with chemicals. When the complainant handed over the money to Poongodi, she allegedly passed it on to another staff member, identified as Sakunthala. The DVAC police then caught the duo on the spot. Their statements were recorded after interrogation.An activist in Virudhunagar district said that despite applications being submitted online, beneficiaries continued to face harassment from Social Welfare Department officials allegedly seeking kickbacks.“The new government, which had promised to root out corruption, should deal with such cases with an iron hand. We do not find any big change between the past and present. Corruption continues and the attitude of officials in many departments has not changed yet,” he said. Published - September 03, 2026 09:23 pm IST