THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Middleman head teacher was caught while accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000 for AEO from a teacher to regularize the service. Chalukunnu CNI LP School head master Sam John T Thomas (52) resident of Vakathanam Nalunnakal was arrested by Kottayam Vigilance SP VG Vinodkumar. Vigilance has filed a case against Kottayam West AEO Mohandas as the second accused in the incident. Minister V Sivankutty announced that the headmaster and the AEO have been suspended later. The Minister had directed Shanawas, Director of General Education to conduct a preliminary inquiry into the incident.

Three teachers from different schools had approached AEO Mohanadas to take steps for the notional recognition of the period they were working on additional posts. Mohandas told the teachers that Headmaster Sam was entrusted with everything. According to this, Sam demanded fifty thousand rupees from the teachers. After talking, they reached an agreement of Rs 30,000 in total which is ten thousand per person. Then a teacher from Kottayam reported the information to the vigilance. As per the instructions of the vigilance officials, the teacher reached Sam's office room with the money yesterday morning at ten o'clock. He was caught by the vigilance team while receiving the bribe which was smeared with phenolphthalein. The phone chat with Sam and Mohandas was found to be deleted. Mohandas was under surveillance after the vigilance got secret information that he had committed similar irregularities. Sam was produced before the Kottayam Vigilance Court and remanded.