A Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC) team on Tuesday arrested the District Educational Officer (Secondary Education) of Tiruchi Educational District on bribery charges.

The officer, Pughazendhi, allegedly demanded and received ₹30,000 as bribe to clear an increment and the pending arrear amount from 2020 to a maths teacher Devadarshini teaching in Government Girls Higher Secondary School at Tiruverumbur.

The officer had demanded the bribe amount from the teacher’s husband Murugesan when the latter approached him with a representation. Unwilling to pay the bribe, Mr. Murugesan lodged a complaint with the DVAC, Tiruchi Unit. A trap was laid and the officer was held when he obtained the bribe amount in his office, a DVAC press release said.