New secretariat case shifted to DVAC
To Look Into Previous DMK Govt’s Role
Julie.Mariappan@timesgroup.com
Chennai:27.09.2018
The state government has transferred to the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) the files of Justice R Raghupathy commission, set up to inquire into the alleged irregularities by the previous DMK government in the construction of the new secretariat-cumassembly complex. Justice Raghupathy resigned on August 13, 10 days after the Madras high court pulled up the commission for delay. The court last week asked the government to inform by September 27, whether it wanted to appoint someone else in place of Justice Raghupathy.
“After the high court order and the inquiry commission head stepping down, the case has been handed over to DVAC for further action,” a senior government officer told TOI. Raghupathy was the second head to resign, after Justice S Thangaraj quit in December 2011, six months after the Jayalalithaa government set up a single-member commission to inquire into the causes and circumstances leading to the alleged irregularities. The court had recently hit out at the state for spending ₹2 crore for the defunct commission and ordered its suspension.
In Salem, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, at a public meeting on Tuesday to condemn DMK and Congress for the Sri Lankan genocide, slammed the Karunanidhi government for the alleged corruption in construction of the secretariat complex. Palaniswami had recalled the order and hinted at taking action against the DMK leaders. “Yes, we are going to dig up your wrongdoings. Even if I let you (DMK chief M K Stalin) go, people will not… You are going to get caught,” he said, alleging “scientific corruption.”
The Raghupathy commission had summoned former chief minister M Karunanidhi, then deputy chief minister M K Stalin and PWD minister S Duraimurugan to file their responses six years ago. The investigation, however, got stuck due to pendency of petitions in the court against the commission since 2015. “With the recent orders of the court that if prima facie case was found then the state shall initiate criminal proceedings against all public servants and government officials involved, the case has been transferred to the DVAC. The government has no plans to appoint another commission,” sources said. Incidentally, the inquiry commission had engaged an engineering expert, who offered assistance to the state during construction of the secretariat complex.
The commission was to probe excess expenditure and irregularities that caused loss to the exchequer, whether all statutory approvals were obtained and if there was deficiency in standards. It was also to inquire whether there was any abuse of position by the government/public servants. If such allegations are proved true, then the commission should suggest suitable ways to prevent such recurrences in future.
In Salem, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami slammed the Karunanidhi regime for the alleged corruption in the construction of the complex. Palaniswami hinted at taking action against the DMK leaders
To Look Into Previous DMK Govt’s Role
Julie.Mariappan@timesgroup.com
Chennai:27.09.2018
The state government has transferred to the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) the files of Justice R Raghupathy commission, set up to inquire into the alleged irregularities by the previous DMK government in the construction of the new secretariat-cumassembly complex. Justice Raghupathy resigned on August 13, 10 days after the Madras high court pulled up the commission for delay. The court last week asked the government to inform by September 27, whether it wanted to appoint someone else in place of Justice Raghupathy.
“After the high court order and the inquiry commission head stepping down, the case has been handed over to DVAC for further action,” a senior government officer told TOI. Raghupathy was the second head to resign, after Justice S Thangaraj quit in December 2011, six months after the Jayalalithaa government set up a single-member commission to inquire into the causes and circumstances leading to the alleged irregularities. The court had recently hit out at the state for spending ₹2 crore for the defunct commission and ordered its suspension.
In Salem, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, at a public meeting on Tuesday to condemn DMK and Congress for the Sri Lankan genocide, slammed the Karunanidhi government for the alleged corruption in construction of the secretariat complex. Palaniswami had recalled the order and hinted at taking action against the DMK leaders. “Yes, we are going to dig up your wrongdoings. Even if I let you (DMK chief M K Stalin) go, people will not… You are going to get caught,” he said, alleging “scientific corruption.”
The Raghupathy commission had summoned former chief minister M Karunanidhi, then deputy chief minister M K Stalin and PWD minister S Duraimurugan to file their responses six years ago. The investigation, however, got stuck due to pendency of petitions in the court against the commission since 2015. “With the recent orders of the court that if prima facie case was found then the state shall initiate criminal proceedings against all public servants and government officials involved, the case has been transferred to the DVAC. The government has no plans to appoint another commission,” sources said. Incidentally, the inquiry commission had engaged an engineering expert, who offered assistance to the state during construction of the secretariat complex.
The commission was to probe excess expenditure and irregularities that caused loss to the exchequer, whether all statutory approvals were obtained and if there was deficiency in standards. It was also to inquire whether there was any abuse of position by the government/public servants. If such allegations are proved true, then the commission should suggest suitable ways to prevent such recurrences in future.
In Salem, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami slammed the Karunanidhi regime for the alleged corruption in the construction of the complex. Palaniswami hinted at taking action against the DMK leaders
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