CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate the alleged Rs 397 crore transformer procurement scam during the tenure of former minister V Senthilbalaji, and asked the State and its agencies to hand over all records and extend full cooperation.
The petitions were filed by Arappor Iyakkam, seeking a direction for investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT), and by AIADMK advocates I Saravanan and Rajkumar seeking a CBI probe. The petitioners alleged that during the period from 2021 to 2023, when Senthilbalaji held office as Minister for Electricity, irregularities occurred in the procurement of 45,000 transformers, resulting in a wrongful loss of Rs 397 crore.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan, upon hearing the matters, pronounced orders on April 29.
While pronouncing the orders, the court also asked the CBI to conduct fresh investigation based on the materials. It further directed the State Government, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco), and the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to extend full cooperation to the CBI for conducting an effective investigation and to ensure that all documents are placed before the central agency.
The Bench also ordered the DVAC to transfer all files connected with the case to the officer in charge of the investigation, who shall be appointed within two weeks from the date of the order.
It then directed the CBI to take earnest steps to conduct the investigation in an effective manner and file a report, observing that the findings in the order are limited to the necessity of investigation by an independent agency and shall not influence the merits of the case.
A detailed order is awaited.