CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has informed the Madras High Court that the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption has initiated a preliminary inquiry based on a letter received from the Enforcement Directorate, which alleged irregularities in appointments and allotment of contracts in the Municipal Administration Department.
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The Enforcement Directorate had earlier written to the State, seeking registration of a case and alleging that bribes amounting to Rs 634 crore were collected in connection with 2,538 appointments, including posts such as Assistant Engineer, Junior Engineer and Sanitary Inspector, in the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department.
Based on the ED communication, K Athinarayanan, president of the Maruthu Senai Society, Madurai, filed a petition before the HC seeking directions to the Director General of Police to register a case.
In a similar plea, AIADMK MP Inbadurai approached court seeking registration of a case on the basis of materials submitted by the ED to the DGP.
The petition alleged corruption to the tune of Rs 1,020 crore in the allotment of contracts in the Municipal Administration Department.
When the two petitions came up for hearing before a Bench comprising Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan, Advocate General PS Raman, appearing for the State government, submitted that the DVAC had initiated a preliminary inquiry based on the ED letter and had also filed a report in this regard.
The DGP’s counsel sought time to file a counter affidavit.
Accepting the request, the Bench directed the DGP to file the counter affidavit and adjourned the case to January 28.