CHENNAI: Advocate-General Vijay Narayan told the Madras High Court that a preliminary enquiry into the corruption charges against Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and his family members had been ordered by the State government.
Recording this submission, Justice G Jayachandran disposed of the writ petitions from DMK Rajya Sabha member R S Bharathy and the Arappor Iyakkan, on Wednesday. Before doing so, the judge directed the DVAC to complete the preliminary enquiry as expeditiously as possible. The petitioners will be at liberty to approach the court again, if there is an inordinate delay in completing the probe, the judge added.
When the matter came up on Wednesday, Vijay Narayan produced a circular dated July 18 last, which ordered the enquiry into the complaint dated March 10 last.
Bharathy alleged that O Panneerselvam had abused his power, amassed wealth and invested it in companies and properties in his name and in the names of his benamies. The Deputy Chief Minister has made false declarations before the Income Tax and the election authorities and thus rendered himself liable to be prosecuted under the Income Tax Act, Representation of the People Act, Indian Penal Code, Prohibition of Benami Transactions Act, Prevention of Money Laundering Act and Prevention of Corruption Act, Bharathy charged.