Civic babus in soup over court-monitored investigations

A few government officials who had served in the local administration ministry handled by the then AIADMK minister S P Velumani are now in a state of shock, thanks to the investigations by the vigilance department and the internal assessment on civic tender violations by state officials.

The state officials are now scanning the profiles of civic officials and their nexus with the former minister. The matter is also pending before the Madras High Court and fresh investigations have started. Existing contracts awarded during the AIADMK regime is reviewed and cancelled if there are tender violations, said an informed official at the state secretariat.

According to highly placed official sources, tender documents and the rate fixed for contractors are now studied by the officials and police investigation team. To ensure that the investigation is smooth the state officials have started the inter-departmental transfers. Top engineers in Chennai and Coimbatore corporations are now transferred to ensure that there is no slag in investigations. Further, the corporation commissioners across the state have been briefed by the state top brass to re-examine the tender process for a foolproof system.

Like Aavin mass transfers in local bodies have started and the new officers have been told to co operate for the investigations, the official said. The state is also focussing on the coal purchase tenders issued by the TNEB during the AIADMK regime. Medical colleges and state highway projects completed during the AIADMK regime is also under vigilance scanner, the official added.

Arappor Iyakkam has filed cases against former Minister Velumani and public servants of Chennai and Coimbatore Corporation for corruption in tenders and we are confident that the corrupt will be booked under rule of law, said Jayaram Venkatesan of Arappor Iyakkam. Another case seeking quashing of reclassification of waterbody for construction of semmenchery police station is also gaining steam and we are confident that the illegal structure is razed and the water body protected, Venkatesan claimed. It may be noted that DMK MP Kanimozhi and health minister Ma Subramanian have objected to the construction of a police station in the lake bed.