The Villupuram district administration has ordered an inquiry by a revenue divisional officer (RDO) into charges levelled by a 15-year-old boy that a village administrative officer (VAO) demanded bribe to sanction funeral expenses of his father who died 10 months ago.
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The administration also relieved the VAO of all charges, pending inquiry. The boy, identified as Ajith Kumar, son of Kolanji, reportedly resorted to begging to mobilise money to give a bribe of Rs 3,000 to the VAO for receiving an aid of Rs 12,500. RDO S Senthamarai, who started an inquiry, said the government released a cheque in the name of the boy's mother K Vijaya, 40, who had settled with her elder son K Iyyappan, 21, in Mumbai. Her daughter K Anushya had settled in Villupuram district after marriage. Her younger son, Ajith Kumar, who came to his native village M Kunnathur a couple of months ago, was staying with his grandparents and was trying to receive the aid. The boy and some of his friends held banners stating their cause and started begging, officials in the district administration said.
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"In this case, Vijaya is the beneficiary who can claim the compensation. The cheque was drawn in her name. She must have approached the officer concerned to receive the cheque.A minor boy demanding a cheque in the absence of genuine beneficiary creates suspicion. However, the district administration relieved the VAO of all administrative charges to ensure fair inquiry. We will also make a thorough inquiry whether the officer demanded bribe," Senthamarai said.
The boy continued the begging campaign for the second day on Saturday when a team of police and revenue officials reached the village and initiated talks with him.
"The officials advised him not to resort to such campaigns and directed him to wait until the completion of an?inquiry . He received 1,800 from the people yesterday and another 1,000 today until he was prevented from continuing the campaign," said the boy's neighbour R Thambidurai.
The revenue officials said a section of his neighbours and friends misguided him to resort to such campaign in a bid to get the compensation in the absence of his mother, the genuine beneficiary.