TN Prison officials under DVAC scanner over fraud purchase, swindling Rs 1.6 crore

CHENNAI: Probing a case that some officials of Madurai Central Prison swindled money in the purchase of raw materials for making stationary articles and manipulated prison records related to the supply of finished stationary to government departments, sleuths from the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption on Friday carried out raids and searches in 11 places, including Chennai and Madurai.

The charges are related to alleged corrupt activities between 2019 and 2021.

The FIR that the DVAC registered in Madurai has cited 11 accused in the case, including three prison officials, and the rest private individuals.

The prison officials cited as accused are M Urmila, the then superintendent of Madurai Central Prison (presently the superintendent of Cuddalore Central Prison); S Vasantha Kannan, the then former jailor of Madurai prison (presently additional superintendent of Palayamkottai Central Prison); and M Thiagarajan, the then administrative officer of Madurai Central Prison (now in Vellore Central Prison).

According to the FIR, the accused persons connived with each other, manipulated records and registers to claim that a large quantum of raw materials were purchased to manufacture office stationary which were to be used to various government departments. They misappropriated Rs 1.63 crore by claiming to supply file pad, and small, medium, and large covers, it said.