CHENNAI: Fuming over the “substantial unexplained delay” in obtaining sanction from the Centre for prosecuting two IAS officers in a case over alleged irregularities committed in awarding tenders in the Chennai and Coimbatore corporations when SP Velumani was Municipal Administration Minister during the AIADMK government, the Madras High Court on Monday impleaded three top bureaucrats and directed them to file an explanation for the delay.
The vigilance commissioner, the public secretary and the director of DVAC were impleaded by Justice N Anand Venkatesh in the case.
He criticised the public secretary for sitting on the files sent by the vigilance commissioner without moving them for getting sanction required for prosecuting IAS officers KS Kandasamy and K Vijaya Karthikeyan who had served as deputy commissioner (works), GCC, and commissioner, Coimbatore Corporation, during that period.
The judge issued the orders to implead the three officers while hearing a contempt petition filed by Jayaram Venkatesan of Arappor Iyakkam, seeking to punish the DVAC officials for non-filing of chargesheet in the Rs 98.25-crore tender irregularities case.
“These three officers shall explain to the court as to why no action was taken for getting sanction against the two IAS officers from the union government from January 2024 up to August 2025,” the judge said.
He remarked that the vigilance commissioner and the Director of DVAC ought to have followed up the matter and sent reminders to the public department which was sitting on the files. He added the court is taking the “extra yard” in order to ensure the trail of criminal proceedings commences at the earliest.
The judge commented that had it not been for Arappor Iyakkam represented by senior counsel V Suresh, nothing could have moved in taking the case towards its logical conclusion.
Indirectly stating that the political executive is keen on protecting IAS officers in corruption cases, the judge said the former has to do its duty since it even criticises the judiciary.
The judge adjourned the hearing to January 6, 2026.