Gutkha Scam: Centre gives go-ahead to prosecute former TN DGPs

CHENNAI: Eight months after the Tamil Nadu government had given the go-ahead to CBI to prosecute two former ministers, C Vijayabaskar and BV Ramana among others in connection with the Gutkha scam, the Union Home Ministry has now accorded sanction to prosecute two former DGPs - T K Rajendran and S George.

Highly placed Tamil Nadu Home department sources confirmed that they have received a communication from the Centre in this regard.

After the Tamil Nadu government gave the nod to prosecute, Vijayabaskar (former Minister of health) and Ramana (former Minister of Commercial Taxes department), a letter seeking to prosecue the IPS officers was sent to the Union Home Ministry, which is required to sanction approval for action against IPS officers on corruption charges.

The Gutkha scam came to public knowledge after Income Tax (IT) searches at a godown in Chennai suburbs hoarding banned Gutkha (oral tobacco products) in 2016.

The IT department sleuths had seized a diary, which detailed the monthly payments amounting to crores, paid to top politicians, police officers and bureaucrats to facilitate the trade of Gutkha, a banned substance in Tamil Nadu.

After a political uproar ensued after which the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a case following directions from the Madras High Court and arrested a few persons including promoters and traders of a company, which was facilitating Gutkha trade in the state.

However, action against the Politicians and Police officers was delayed and in July last year, the State government accorded sanction to prosecute the AIADMK Ministers and in November last year, CBI had filed a chargesheet at a special court for CBI cases in Chennai.

The state government is expected to communicate to the CBI about the nod from the Union ministry in the coming days, after which the investigation agency will begin the probe to ascertain the role of the former DGP's - T K Rajendran and S George.