CHENNAI: The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) has registered a case against three retired municipal officials, including a former Municipal Commissioner of Pollachi Municipality, over alleged irregularities in the execution of road works that caused a government loss of Rs 3.93 crore.

The case was registered by the Coimbatore DVAC earlier this month, under Section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code and Section 13 (2) read with Section 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

The accused are former Municipal Commissioner R Murugesan (60), former municipal engineer G Murugesan (60) and former assistant engineer D Nagarajan (61). The FIR was filed after a detailed enquiry ordered by the DVAC director in September 2024.

According to the FIR, road restoration works covering 13.66 km were taken up under the Tamil Nadu Urban Road Infrastructure Programme (TURIP) 2016-17, at an estimated cost of Rs 4 crore. The works were executed between September and December 2016, and three contractors were paid Rs 3.93 crore.

The enquiry alleged that the officials were aware that the same roads would soon be excavated for underground sewer pipelines under the Under Ground Sewerage Scheme. The sewerage work commenced on October 13, 2016, while excavation of the newly laid roads began on December 28, 2016.

The DVAC said the materials collected prima facie indicated criminal conspiracy and abuse of official position, resulting in wrongful loss to the government. The FIR has been submitted to the Principal District and Sessions Court, Coimbatore, for further proceedings.