COIMBATORE: The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) has registered an FIR against former AIADMK Minister for Local Administration SP Velumani on the charge of extending favouritism in awarding construction and supply of goods/services tender works in Greater Chennai and Coimbatore Corporations to his close associates by abusing his official position and carrying out raids at different locations belonging to the former minister at Coimbatore, Chennai, Dindigul and Kancheepuram.
The FIR was registered against SP Velumani, his brother P Anbarasan and 15 others on competition of preliminary investigation carried out by the special investigation cell of DVAC based on a complaint by DMK MP RS Bharathi and Arappor Iyakkam convenor V Jayaraman.
Former minister Velumani and others were booked under sections 120B r/w 420, 409 of IPC and sections 13(2) r/w 13(1Hc) and 13(1)(d) of Prevention of Corruptions Act, 1988 r/w 109 IPC.
There is prima facie material that Velumani and other and unknown officials of corporations of Greater Chennai city and Coimbatore city, with dishonest intentions entered into criminal conspiracy during the year 2014 to 2018, in injudiciously awarding of tenders in bus route road, stormwater drain and contracts pertaining to outsourcing of the staff for Health department and certain other contract works in Greater Chennai and Coimbatore municipal corporations by violating the procedure established by law and thereby committed cheating and criminal misappropriation of public money amounting to several Crores of Rupees of the Government of Tamil Nadu, DVAC said in its FIR.
DVAC officials are conducting raids at SP Velumani residence at Sugunapuram near Kuniyamuthur in Coimbatore, farm house at Thondamuthur. Raids are going on at a total of 52 locations including 35 in Coimbatore, 15 in Chennai, 1 each in Dindigul and Kancheepuram.
In addition to this, raids are also going on at the locations of corporation officials and contractors.
On hearing the DVAC raid at Velumani’s house, AIADMK MLAs in Coimbatore and party supporters gathered in front of the former minister’s house at Sugunapuram.
The four-time MLA, was given ministerial berth in 2011 and since then he was holding Municipal Administration and Rural Development portfolio, for the major part of the past ten years, except when he was dropped from the minister in 2012 by former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa before being re-inducted in 2014.
In the recent assembly election, Velumani won from Thondamuthur constituency and has been elected as AIADMK whip in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.
It should be noted that, last month, DVAC conducted raids and later registered a disproportionate assets case against former AIADMK minister MR Vijayabhaskar.