Accepts bribe via google pay; Vijay Govt takes action against five cops in Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: The Vijay Government has taken action against five police officers in Tamil Nadu for accepting bribes via Google Pay. The cases were reported in Tirunelveli and Chennai. The officers accepted bribes ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 10,000. The action was taken after internal departmental inquiries were conducted in the respective cases.

Head Constable Swarna Raj of the Melapalayam Police Station under the Tirunelveli City Police was suspended. During a vehicle inspection, he demanded a bribe of Rs 1,000 from a two-wheeler rider despite the rider producing the required documents. An inquiry found that the officer had shared his personal phone number with the rider so that the money could be transferred through Google Pay.

Sub-inspector Sivaraj and constable Vivek of the Chennai North Beach Police Station were also suspended for accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000. They allegedly received the money through Google Pay for returning a stolen two-wheeler to its owner. An internal inquiry was conducted into the incident.

Action was also taken against another sub-inspector who had been serving at the Madhavaram Police Station. He was suspended after a preliminary inquiry found that he had demanded a bribe.

Meanwhile, sub-inspector Mareeswaran of the Puzhal Police Station has been terminated from service. A departmental inquiry found him guilty of demanding and accepting bribes. The allegations were raised against Mareeswaran date back to 2024, when he was serving at the Anna Nagar Police Station. The departmental proceedings found the allegations to be true. Based on the finding that he had demanded bribes on multiple occasions, an order was issued dismissing him from service.

Meantime, before becoming the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, Vijay had urged people during a rally in Karur not to pay bribes if anyone demanded money from them. He had also asked people to firmly refuse to pay even if they were pressured. Videos of this from the Karur rally had widely circulated on social media.

‘If anyone demands bribe, tell them you will not pay it. I will be with you. If they continue to pressure you, tell them, ‘Our son and brother Vijay is ruling the state.’ Say it firmly. I am with you. If you stand with me, we can wipe out corruption,’ Vijay had said in his speech at the Karur rally.