CHENNAI: A municipality councillor belonging to the BJP has been booked on charges of cheating following complaints from residents that he had swindled the money he collected to provide them drinking water and sewer connections. Chitlapakkam police registered the case after around 10 residents of Nethaji Nagar lodged a complaint against Vairam Srinivasan, councillor of Ward 21.
According to the residents, Srivasan collected about Rs 13,000 from nearly 50 residents of the locality promising to get them drinking water and drainage facilities from the Pallavaram municipality. “He had provided illegal water connections to the houses using his clout, but told the residents that they were new connections obtained with the approval of the municipality. Recently, the municipality discovered the unapproved connections and disconnected them,” said a police official. When the residents enquired with the officials, they came to know that Srinivasan had duped them.
C Vijaya Kumar, one of the residents, lodged a complaint with the Chitlapakkam police, following which 10 other residents complaints. The police have registered a case under IPC section 420 against Srinivasan and are on the lookout for him.