Health inspectors spent Rs 60L at non-existent shop, DVAC probe on

The health inspectors were identified as M Pandi, M Saravanakumar and S Dinesh Kumar. All are working in Paramakudi municipality.

As these ‘purchases’ were made on an emergency basis to fight the spread of COVID immediately after the first lockdown started, they were allowed to use the fund for purchases without the mandatory tender rules. They were allowed to use municipality funds as well as State disaster relief funds.

As per their claims, they had procured masks, sanitiser, gloves, food, machines, safety equipment, thermal scanners, etc, from a shop, which was found to be non-existent.

The three had allegedly created fake documents and swindled the money using forged documents, said the DVAC FIR. The three health inspectors were booked under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption act along with IPC sections 465, 467 and 468.