DVAC books Former Minister SP Velumani for graft in awarding Chennai Corporation contracts
During the probe, the DVAC said it unearthed irregularities in awarding tenders for these works
AIADMK headquarters secretary and former minister S P Velumani
CHENNAI: The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti–Corruption booked former minister and sitting MLA SP Velumani of the AIADMK along with 10 officials of Greater Chennai Corporation in connection with alleged irregularities in awarding tenders for constructing storm water drain and road relaying work executed by the civic body in 2018.
Apart from Velumani, who was the Municipal Administration Minister then, the DVAC has listed AS Murugan, executive engineer; K Chinnachami, superintendent engineer (since retired); BR Saravanmurthy, executive engineer; V Periasamee, executive engineer; V Chinnadurai, executive engineer; A Nachan, executive engineer; D Sugumar, zonal officer; K Vijayakumar, superintendent; L Nandakumar, chief engineer; and M Pugalendi, chief engineer (since retired) as accused in the case.
According to the DVAC, the former minister and officials of the Corporation blatantly violated all rules of business in allocation of tenders and selection of contractors and allegedly caused loss to the GCC exchequer in awarding of tenders to storm water drain and road relaying works executed by the Corporation in 2018.
The storm water drain work was taken up under 73 packages under the Chennai Mega City Development Mission 2018-19. The State government issued administrative sanction to construct missing link drain work at an estimated cost of Rs 290 crore.
Similarly work for footpaths, relaying of roads, restoration of damaged roads and reconstruction of bridges were taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 246 crore.
During the probe, the DVAC said it unearthed irregularities in awarding tenders for these works. Citing another example, it said M Sand was used in place of river sand but the payment to the contractors was based on the rate of river sand.
According to the DVAC FIR, the accused in the case had embezzled more than Rs 26.62 crore by using various fraudulent methods of rate manipulations.
The agency also found collusion of different contractors while participating in tenders by sharing and contributing themselves by submitting dummy tenders.