Senior health official held for bribery

A senior health department official has landed behind bars after he was caught red-handed accepting a bribe from a cosmetics businessman to issue a government licence.

- SIDDHARTH PRABHAKAR @ Chennai

As the accused, PU Karthikeyan, the director (in-charge) of the Tamil Nadu Drug control department, kept referring to complete all "formalities" (code word for bribe) to clear his application, the businessman recorded their conversations. This eventually led to the director's arrest by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on Monday.

The ordeal for Vellore-based S Saravanan began on July 10 after he approached the state drug control department for obtaining a license to sell herbal cosmetics manufactured by a company he runs with his wife.