CHENNAI: Former minister and senior DMK leader EV Velu on Tuesday received a big relief from the Madras High Court as it revoked the look out circular (LOC) issued by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC) in connection with an FIR on alleged irregularities committed in awarding and executing certain road projects while he was serving as the minister for PWD and highways in the previous DMK government.
Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan passed the orders on the petition filed by Velu, a sitting MLA, seeking to quash the LOC. Citing the fact that Velu had returned from Singapore, where he had gone for medical treatment, and appeared before the investigating officer of DVAC, the judge said,
“Keeping the LOC will not serve any purpose, therefore, the LOC is cancelled.” However, the relief was given with a condition that Velu has to obtain prior permission from the court concerned if he wanted to travel abroad.
Meanwhile, the court permitted NGO Arappor Iyakkam to implead in the case. Arappor Iyakkam had lodged the complaint on the irregularities against Velu in 2022. Velu had filed the petitions seeking to quash the LOC and the FIR registered by the DVAC.
On July 9, the court barred the DVAC from taking any coercive action against him till July 28 on the FIR registered on June 24, and also granted an interim stay on the LOC.
The main charge against the ex-minister was committing irregularity by releasing Rs 3.23 crore to a contractor well in advance of completion of the road works in Karur.
On Tuesday, Justice Ilanthiraiyan granted the approval for the DVAC to proceed with probe but with a rider that no coercive action against Velu. Senior counsels Siddharth Luthra and P Wilson appeared for Velu.
They argued that sanction under section 17 A of Prevention of Corruption Act was not obtained from the competent authority by the investigating agency before prosecuting him.
Referring to the registration of FIR, Wilson said the LOC was issued even after Velu had sent applications to the DVAC to let him appear for inquiry on or after July 12, 2026, as he had to undergo medical treatment abroad.
State Public Prosecutor R John Sathyan submitted the funds were released even before the work started. He said the State Highways Department then functioning under Velu had laid the road by deploying a huge contingent of police personnel.
Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan of Madras High Court on Tuesday reserved the orders on the petitions filed by Vilathikulam DMK MLA GV Markandayan praying for quashing the remand order and enlarging him on bail in the case registered by the Thoothukudi police for making alleged derogatory and threatening comments against Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay.
Markandayan was arrested on July 20, a day after registering the FIR under sections 351 (3), 352 and 353 (2) of BNS based on a complaint lodged by a TVK functionary for making the comments while addressing a public meeting on July 18. Senior counsel P Wilson represented the petitioner while state public prosecutor R John Sathyan appeared for the police.
