CHENNAI: Bringing an end to the exhaustive probe into the alleged irregularities in leasing out of land for mining granite and other related irregularities in Madurai District, High Court-appointed Special Commissioner U Sagayam submitted his voluminous report before the first bench of the Madras High Court on Monday. The detailed report runs to over 600 pages besides annexures that run into over 7,000 pages.
While passing interim orders on a PIL from Traffic K R Ramaswamy, who had alleged that the State had incurred a heavy loss in the allotment of the mining lease, the bench had appointed Sagayam as the Special Commissioner to probe the issue.
The bench of Chief Justice S K Kaul and Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana, before which the report was filed, permitted Advocate-General A L Somayaji to examine it.
Sagayam’s counsel V Suresh told the bench that the scam was running for over two decades with the active support of top bureaucrats and political leaders.
Sagayam also requested four weeks time to wind up the office premises given to him in Madurai and `5 lakh to meet the financial consequences. The bench directed the State government to make available the amount within a week subject to submission of complete accounts thereof. The bench hoped that the State government will render all assistance, including security to the premises, until the office is wound up within four weeks and to the persons who had deposed before the Commission, whether serving officers or public at large or the whistleblowers. They should not be troubled in the context of their role before the commission and where necessary security is sought, the same might be provided.
The documents received from the departments concerned might be returned if they are not required and the remaining be deposited with the High Court Registry. If any part of the record is required to be inspected by the government for any further purposes whatsover, it is open to it do so, the bench said.
After directing service of copies of this order to the Regional Special Director, Enforcement Directorate in Chennai and to the Secretary, Ministry of Mines in New Delhi, the bench posted the matter for further direction on January 4, 2016.
