Tamil Naidu: Following the arrest of ED officer Ankit Tiwari in connection with a bribery case, the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) conducted searches at the Enforcement Directorate (ED) sub-zonal office in Madurai. Several incriminating documents were seized by officials during the search.
The 2016-batch ED officer, stationed in Madurai, was allegedly apprehended in the Dindigul district while accepting a bribe of Rs 20 lakh from a doctor on Friday. Reports stated that Tiwari was pursued for eight kilometers along the Dindigul-Madurai highway before being arrested.
This arrest followed accusations made by ‘Murasoli,’ the mouthpiece of Tamil Nadu’s ruling party DMK, against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of using the ED to tarnish the DMK government’s reputation.
In response to the incident, Tamil Nadu Congress President KS Alagiri suggested that Tiwari, if innocent, should have confronted the authorities rather than fleeing. The BJP, on the other hand, condemned blaming the entire department for one individual’s misconduct.
Addressing the media in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu State BJP Chief K Annamalai cited similar incidents involving specialized agencies such as the CBI and ED in other states, urging against blaming the ED as a whole.
DVAC officials conducted searches not only at Ankit Tiwari’s residence but also at the ED sub-zonal office in Madurai. Security measures were observed at the ED office, which was locked during the DVAC’s search.
According to the DVAC, Tiwari demanded a bribe of Rs 3 crore from a government doctor before agreeing to accept Rs 51 lakh to avoid legal action in a fabricated case. Tiwari was apprehended under the Prevention of Corruption Act after being caught receiving Rs 20 lakh as the first installment of the bribe.
The DVAC’s ongoing investigation aims to uncover potential misconduct by Tiwari and ascertain if other ED officials were involved in similar activities. Additionally, they plan to conduct further searches related to Tiwari’s associations.