MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to register a criminal case against two IAS officers – C Kamaraj and M Vallalar – and suspended additional milk commissioner G Christhudhas, over an alleged scam in the procurement of registers for over 8,000 primary milk co-operative societies in 2019-20.
Justice B Pugalendhi issued the order while dismissing a petition filed by Christhudhas challenging the orders through which he was suspended and prevented from retiring from service, a day before his superannuation in 2022.
As per the court order, Kamaraj, the then dairy development director and Aavin MD, decided in 2019 that all primary milk co-operative societies should maintain uniformity in accounts using five specific registers. Quotations were obtained from six co-operative stores, and the Thoothukudi co-operative store, which quoted the lowest price of Rs 2,282.10, was approved. After Kamaraj’s transfer, Vallalar reapproved the decision in February 2020.
Based on their approval, Christhudhas instructed deputy registrars across districts to procure the registers from the Thoothukudi store. However, the price was deliberately omitted in the circular. The store delivered only three types of registers at an inflated cost of Rs 2,688.
An audit revealed this caused a loss of Rs 1.75 crore to co-operative societies. It was also found that the store lacked the infrastructure to supply the registers and that the store manager and her husband had illegally gained Rs 39.45 lakh.
The court remarked that such irregularities show why Aavin lags behind Amul, citing corruption prevailing in the department. The judge criticised the DVAC for recommending only disciplinary action against Christhudhas while sparing the IAS officers, and pulled up the chief secretary for closing the inquiry against the officers saying the duo was not properly briefed by the staff.
An IAS officer who mechanically signs a document is unfit to be one, the judge said, adding that criminal cases are often registered only against junior officials. “The chief secretary and vigilance commissioner must have the courage and conviction to act against erring IAS officers,” the judge said. The court then directed the DVAC to register a regular case against all three and complete disciplinary action against Christhudhas within three months.