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A day after Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) chairperson R. Sellamuthu put in his papers, the directorate of vigilance and anti-corruption (DVAC) raided Friday houses of 73 candidates/recruits sus pected of having paid u money to clear examinace tions conducted by the C) commission for hiring.

u “At least 15 [raided] cpremises belonged to can d didates who appeared for C) the examination for assis tant veterinary surgeons and the remaining were of those who took group 2 services examinations. Half of them have already got `postings', while others have `cleared' interviews,“ DVAC sources said.

Ten places were raided in Chennai, 13 in Madurai, five each in Pudukkottai and Thanjavur, four each in Salem, Sivagangai and Vellore, three each in Kancheepuram, Theni, Tiruchy, Dharmapuri and Erode, two each in Virudhanagar, Cuddalore, Krishanagiri and Villupuram and one each in Dindigul, Kanyakumari, Ramnad, Tirunelveli and Namakkal.

A large number of incriminating documents were seized. Many raided candidates confessed to bribing TNPSC officials fearing they might not be selected despite good performance in examinations.

Friday's raids were fourth in a series by DVAC under a crackdown on corruption in TNPSC recruitment.

Meanwhile, sources said, governor K. Rosaiah had accepted Mr Sellamuthu's resignation. The TNPSC chairman was appointed for six years during the DMK regime by an order dated January 3, 2010. Mr Sellamuthu is probably the first public service chairperson in the country to resign in such circumstances.

-dc chn