MADURAI: Expressing apprehension about the impartiality of the investigation being carried out by the DVAC into the seizure of Rs 2.25 lakh from the office of the deputy director (DD) of Fire and Rescue Services in Tirunelveli in 2025, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has ordered the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case.
The SIT should also probe those who allegedly planted the cash in the office in connivance with officials of DVAC and Department of Fire and Rescue Services, the court said.
Justice B Pugalendhi, who issued the directions while hearing a batch of petitions seeking to transfer the two cases to the CBI, said the motive for placing the cash could be related to fire safety licence scam.
The bench directed the Director General of Police (HoPF) to form the SIT under DIG Salem Range Santhosh Hadimani. It also allowed the DIG to pick his own team for investigation.
SIT should look into the allegations raised against the officials of both the departments in an unbiased manner and finish the probe within three months. The team should file a status report by October 7, the court said.
The court also directed the head of the Department of Fire and Rescue Services to examine issues such as issuing of licence and its periodic renewal process by stating it should not become a source of harament for applicants or a means for misuse of official position.
With regards to the DVAC, the court said any government aiming for corruption-free and transparent governance should strengthen the department, considering its crucial role in combating corruption. The department, which is expected to monitor 14 lakh government employees, is functioning only for namesake and is registering 100 cases per year just to show that it is functioning. It is regrettable to state that the major work being done by the department appears to be forwarding complaints.
The government should periodically review its policies and ensure the functioning of the department, the judge observed.
The prima facie materials necessitated the transfer of investigation in the two cases to an independent agency to ensure a fair, unbiased and impartial investigation, it added.
An investigation would ensure that all aspects of the matter are examined impartially and free from departmental influence. Only such an exercise would inspire confidence and bring the truth on record, the court said.
The FIR of the DVAC states that Rs 2.25 lakh was seized from the office of DD Saravana Babu and a few thousand rupees were seized from a fireman who stood near the office in November 2025.
The Perumalpuram police had registered a case based on a separate complaint by Babu who said that some people trespassed into his office and planted the cash.
A few people arrested in the case were accused in the fire licence renewal scam registered in 2021.