Madurai: The sleuths of the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) continued their search on Saturday at the Enforcement Directorate (ED) sub-zonal office in Madurai in connection with the case involving an ED officer Ankit Tiwari. The searches were carried out throughout the night on Friday.
Tiwari has been serving as an Enforcement Officer in the Madurai Enforcement Department office of the Union Government. He was arrested on Friday after he was red-handed for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 20 lakh from a doctor. He has been sent to judicial custody till December 15.
Ankit Tiwari, along with his team of ED officers had been threatening several people and receiving bribes in the name of closing their case in the Enforcement Directorate.
Bribe sought from government employee
On October 29, Ankit Tiwari allegedly contacted a government employee from Dindigul about a Vigilance case registered against him in that district which was closed. He told the employee that instructions had been received from the Prime Minister's Office to conduct an enquiry.
Tiwari asked the government employee to appear before the ED office in Madurai on October 30. When the man went to Madurai, Tiwari allegedly asked him to pay Rs 3 crore to avoid legal action in the case. He later told the employee that he had spoken to senior officials and agreed to lower the bribe to Rs 51 lakh.
ED officer caught red-handed
On November 1, the government employee purportedly gave Rs 20 lakh as the first instalment of bribe to him. Later, 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 government employee grew suspicious and filed a complaint against him at the DVAC's Dindigul unit on November 30. Initial investigation revealed that Ankit misused his powers as an ED officer and a case was registered against him by the DVAC.
On Friday (December 1), the sleuths of DVAC caught Ankit Tiwari red-handed while accepting the second instalment of Rs 20 lakh from the government employee.
(With agencies input)
