Jothilakshmi, Joint Commissioner, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department, Thanjavur was arrested on Thursday by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) police on charges of accepting bribe from a contractor.

The accused had allegedly demanded ₹1 lakh from the complainant, Madhiazhagan of Nagapattinam, who had taken the contract for renovating Sri Valliammainathar temple, Theepambalpuram near Ammapettai, Thanjavur district, for releasing the tender instalment amount.

Aggrieved by the demand, Madhiazhagan approached the Thanjavur DVAC Unit headed by the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Anbazhagan.

After taking his complaint on record, the DVAC police gave him chemical coated currency notes and directed him to handover the same to the Joint Commissioner.

On July 2, Madhiazhagan handed over the money to the Joint Commissioner’s aide, Girija, who in turn handed over the amount to Jothilakshmi at her office in Thanjavur. The DVAC police caught the official and her aide and seized the bribe amount.

Both women were later arrested and remanded in judicial custody, sources said.