CHENNAI: Stressing the need for expediting corruption cases involving ex-ministers in order to take them to the logical conclusion, the Madras High Court on Monday severely criticised the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) for the long delay in getting sanction to prosecute the IAS officers accused in the alleged tender irregularities in Chennai and Coimbatore municipal corporations when S P Velumani was holding the Municipal Administration and Water Supplies (MAWS) portfolio during the previous AIADMK government.
The court also said it can’t allow such cases to be ambushed by long drawn procedures, resulting in losing teeth by efflux of time.
Justice N Anand Venkatesh made the observations while hearing the contempt of court petition filed by the Arappor Iyakkam against DVAC’s slow action on the alleged Rs 98.25 crore tender irregularities in Chennai and Coimbatore municipal corporations committed when S P Velumani was the minister for MAWS.
The judge expressed strong displeasure over the manner the DVAC has been handling the case, particularly in obtaining the sanction from the centre for prosecuting the two IAS officers.
“This court is inclined to show more seriousness since corruption cases against ex-ministers and IAS officers must be dealt with in an expeditious way to bring public faith in the criminal justice system. If the case is allowed to be ambushed by long drawn procedures, the case itself loses its teeth by efflux of time and everyone forgets about it,” the judge said in the order.
Referring to the submission made by the additional public prosecutor that the centre has returned the proposal seeking sanction to prosecute the two IAS officers accused in the case, seeking it to be resent with the revised checklist along with translated copies of the vernacular documents, the judge said translation of such documents would drag the case further.
“The additional public prosecutor says 12,250 pages have to be translated and 1,500 pages have been completed. He seeks four more weeks. After completing translation, it will be sent to the centre which will take further time either to accord or deny sanction,” he said.
Severely criticising the DVAC for the slackness, Justice Venkatesh said, “In the considered view, this court is of the prima facie opinion that the respondent did not accord necessary importance to this court’s orders.”
He said corruption cases at a higher level has to be dealt with alacrity and have to be brought to a logical conclusion at the earliest since public interest is involved. The judge then adjourned the hearing to November 10, 2025.
