VELLORE: In the wake of the seizure of a huge amount of cash and gold ornaments from the premises of the joint chief environmental engineer (JCEE) of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) M Pannirselvam in Vellore and Ranipet districts, the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) has registered a case against the officer and is probing the source of his income.
The seizure included Rs 3.58 crore in cash, 450 sovereigns of gold ornaments and gold coins and 6.50 kg silverware from his ‘unofficial’ office located at Municipal Colony in Gandhi Nagar in Vellore and his residence at Valaiyapathi Street in Rani Bell Nagar in Ranipet. Documents of immovable assets were also seized from the house.
Marathon raids
The marathon raids held in the residence in Ranipet began at 11.40 am on Wednesday and lasted till 4.30 am on Thursday, the sources stated.
“We have registered a case under section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Further investigations are being carried out. We are looking into the source of income,” an officer of DVAC told The New Indian Express on Thursday.
The cash and valuables were kept at the treasury and will be handed to the court soon.
Crucial tip-off
A tip-off on a monthly meeting of district environmental engineers (DEEs) from his jurisdictional divisions and the handing over of a ‘collection’ amount led to the cache of cash and valuables from the premises of the 57-year-old JCEE, the sources stated.
A joint raid conducted by the Inspection Cell and DVAC at his ‘unofficial’ office yielded Rs 33.73 lakh.
Officers of the DVAC found the cash kept bundled and stashed in lofts in his house in Ranipet. The cash was in denominations of Rs 100, Rs 200, Rs 500 and Rs 2000.
The investigators were surprised to find such a huge amount of cash and jewellery amassed by an officer in the rank of JCEE with the TNPCB, the sources noted.
Probe to trace close links
The investigators are also looking to trace those, including TNPCB officers and agents arranging for kickbacks, having close links with Pannirselvam.
Preliminary inquiries have revealed that he had taken a house at Municipal Colony in Gandhi Nagar, close to the office of the TNPCB, for a monthly rental of Rs 8,000 for carrying out illegal operations for over a year now.
He netted a huge amount of money for clearing issues of industries that are located in highly polluted areas. Vellore, Vaniyambadi, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram, Hosur and Dharmapuri divisions of TNPCB fall under the jurisdiction of the JCEE based at Vellore, the sources stated.