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A police inspector and a head constable attached to Kovilpalayam police station were remanded to custody and lodged in the central jail here on Friday for accepting money to hush up a theft case.

According to police, Inspector Sekharan nabbed a youth and recovered 10 cellphones from him two days ago. He summoned another youth Ilamchezhiyan of Saravanampatti to inquire about the case. Ilamchezhiyan pleaded innocence and told that he had purchased only one hand set. Sekharan demanded Rs.10,000 to hush up the matter, police said.

Unable to bear the torture for the last two days, Ilamchezhiyan informed the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC) wing, who asked him to pay some marked notes to the inspector.

Ilamchezhiyan, who agreed to pay Rs. 5,000, went to the police station on Thursday night and paid the marked notes to head constable Dhanapal, during which time DVAC sleuths caught him red handed. Further interrogation led to the arrest of Sekharan little later.

The accused were produced before a special court on Friday morning and Judge John Mino remanded them to custody till November 24. They were lodged in the Central jail.

Departmental action will follow after receiving the details from DVAC, who also had searched the houses of the accused, police added.