DVAC files fresh corruption cases against 2 ex-min: Full details

CHENNAI: The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption registered corruption cases against former AIADMK ministers SP Velumani and C Vijayabaskar and carried out raids at 44 places across the State on Tuesday. This is the third case by DVAC against Velumani and second case against Vijayabaskar.

According to DVAC, enquiry related to earlier cases is still going on. After carrying out raids at 31 premises, including 9 places in Chennai and 14 places in Coimbatore, linked to Velumani, former minister for Rural Development and currently AIADMK MLA, DVAC in a press release said that during the course of search, an amount of Rs.32.98 lakh, 1,228 grams of gold jewels, 948 grams of silver articles and 10 four wheelers were identified. During the search, 316 incriminating documents pertaining to the allegation and 2 locker keys were seized.

Velumani has allegedly abused his official position in awarding tenders injudiciously to his close associated companies causing loss to the government exchequer approximately Rs 500 crore in replacing the existing street light with LED lights in rural areas during the period from 2015 to 2018. These LED lights were purchased at a much high rate than the market existed at that time. Apart from Velumani, the DVAC has cited 9 others, including K Chandraprakash, employee of an engineering firm in Kodambakkam as suspects in the case.

In the case of C Vijayabaskar, former health minister, the DVAC carried out searches in 13 places, including 5 in Chennai, in connection with the case of irregularities in the issuance of Essentiality Certificate in 2020 to a private medical college and hospital violating the regulations of National Medical Commission. During the course of search, an amount of Rs.18.37 lakh, 1,872 grams of gold jewels, 8.28 kgs of silver articles were identified. During the search, 120 incriminating documents pertaining to the allegation, 1 hard disk, 1 pen drive, 21 phones and 4 locker keys were seized and an investigation is under progress.

The DVAC has cited 7 persons as suspects in the case including Vijayabaskar and four doctors of Salem Mohan Kumaramangalam government medical college, who were part of the inspection team which visited the private medical college and allegedly submitted false report as the said hospital was ‘fully functional with 300 beds and all basic amenities to start a new medical college’.