CHENNAI: A decision will soon be taken on whether a case will be registered by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC) against former minister Senthil Balaji and others in an alleged scam pertaining to procurement of transformers by Tangedco (now trifurcated into three separate entities), Advocate General PS Raman informed the Madras High Court on Thursday.
Raman made the submission before Justice P Velmurugan while hearing a writ petition filed by NGO Arappor Iyakkam seeking a direction to the DVAC to take cognisance of their complaint filed in July 2023 seeking registration of an FIR. In their petition, Arappor Iyakkam’s managing trustee Jayaram Venkatesan said that their complaint alleged blatant corruption and gross irregularities in the procurement of distribution transformers by Tangedco at exorbitant rates which led to a loss of Rs 397 crore.
The total value of 10 tenders for supply of 45,800 such transformers from 2021 to 2023 analysed by the NGO amounted to Rs 1,182 crore. In seven of the 10 tenders, there was clear evidence of unjust enrichment to contractors by cartelisation, intentional collusion, and formation of a syndicate amongst bidders and public servants, the NGO said. Instead of raising doubts regarding cartelisation and objecting to identical exorbitant prices quoted by the companies, Tangedco officials had turned a blind eye rendering the entire tender process redundant, it had alleged.
Seeking presentation of detailed arguments on the matter, advocate V Suresh, counsel for Arappor Iyakkam, sought an adjournment. The judge accepted his request and adjourned the hearing.