CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday informed the Madras High Court that a ‘detailed inquiry’ is being conducted by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on complaints of alleged misappropriation of Rs 350 crore by former food and civil supplies minister R Kamaraj during his tenure in the previous AIADMK regime. The court ordered the DVAC to file a status report in the case by November 22.
The submission was made by state public prosecutor Hasan Mohammed Jinnah before Justice AD Jagadish Chandira when a petition filed by V Pugazhendi, a supporter of deposed AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam, came up for hearing. The former minister had swindled the funds by inflating procurement prices of food items meant for public distribution, the petitioner had said.
Pointing out to the need to go through 24,000 pages of records involving 48 tenders, the counsel told the court, “We will conclude the inquiry as soon as possible and proceed further in accordance with law.” The judge questioned the DVAC on time needed for completing the probe and said it cannot be kept idle for two years.
Senior counsel V Suresh, representing Arappor Iyakkam, a whistle-blower NGO, said the organisation had filed complaints with the DVAC but no action has been taken even after two years. The judge ordered tagging of the petition along with the one filed by Pugazhendi and posted the matter to November 22. Meanwhile, the judge lauded the state PP for asking public prosecutors to treat police personnel who visit their offices for court related work with dignity. The judge also asked police personnel to appear in courts with full case information so that the prosecutors’ work can be made easy.