DMK govt protecting former minister SP Velumani: Arappor Iyakkam

CHENNAI: Despite figuring in a chargesheet pertaining to corruption cases over a year ago, the government has yet to give its sanction to DVAC to prosecute former minister SP Velumani and other officials, Arappor Iyakkam said.

In a statement, Jayaram Venkatesan, convenor of the organisation, said it has come to light that two chargesheets against former local administration minister Velumani and others in the Chennai and Coimbatore Corporation scam has been filed in the special court but the Tamil Nadu government has been delaying the sanction for prosecution for more than a year.

"Arappor Iyakkam filed a complaint in September 2021, seeking investigation into the roles of Velumani and others in the corruption in the Chennai and Coimbatore corporations’ tender process, which runs into hundreds of crores," he added.

Asking the DMK government why it was protecting the corrupt individuals in the then AIADMK government, Jayaram added that the chief minister and his government are accountable for the delay.

"The government must tell us of the people who are responsible for delaying the prosecution sanction. If they further delay it, Arappor Iyakkam will be forced to move another contempt petition against the contempt order of the Madras High Court," he warned.

Earlier, the high court had refused to quash an FIR filed by DVAC against the former minister and others and allowed the investigation agency to include his name in the chargesheet.