TIRUPPUR: The CBI, based on a Madras High Court order, has initiated an investigation into the construction of a crematorium at Palladam in Tiruppur district for Rs 1.4 crore using government funds, despite a private trust offering to build an electric crematorium free of cost.
On April 10, Justice Krishnan Ramasamy ordered the CBI and the CAG to conduct an inquiry into this matter and submit a report.
According to sources, on October 6, 2015, an agreement was signed between the Palladam Rotary Electric Crematorium Trust and the Palladam Panchayat Union to construct a free electric crematorium at Panikkampatti village in Palladam. Subsequent to the agreement, the trust started construction. However, officials directed the trust to stop the work, stating that unless planning permission is obtained, no construction work can be carried out, even though the trust had completed 25% of the construction.
Under these circumstances, the Palladam Municipality called for a tender to construct an electric crematorium for Rs 1.4 crore. The work commenced on February 23, 2023, and was completed on June 30, 2025.
The trust’s secretary, N Aravindhababu, filed a petition in the Madras High Court alleging that, despite the trust's readiness to construct an electric crematorium free of cost, certain officials and public representatives, for their own personal gain, utilised government funds to build the facility, thereby causing a financial loss to the state exchequer.
Justice Ramasamy heard the petition and stated that this court is unable to understand why the officials, who executed the agreement with the trust, had passed a resolution and subsequently, floated and awarded the tender for the construction of an electric crematorium at the cost of the exchequer, when the trust is ready and willing to construct the same at free of cost for public use. This would clearly amount to abuse of power and misuse of public money by the officials, resulting in a huge loss to the exchequers, the judge stated.
As per the court order, a team of CBI officials inspected the electric crematorium in Palladam, as well as the area where construction works were undertaken on behalf of a trust, sources added.
A Annadurai, a social activist, said, "CBI officials questioned me on Tuesday regarding this matter. I have provided all the information and the documents I have."
The inquiry in Palladam is expected to continue on Wednesday.
When asked whether an inquiry had been conducted with government officials in this regard, District Collector S Manishi Narnaware told TNIE he would check and provide a response.