CHENNAI: In the ongoing Rs 98-crore tender scam hearing against former minister SP Velumani, the State government informed the Madras High Court that further action on two IAS officers accused in the case will be taken once the Centre grants approval to prosecute them.
The HC had earlier directed the State Public Secretary, the Vigilance Commissioner, and the Director of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption to file a report explaining the reasons for the delay in obtaining sanction from the Centre government to prosecute the accused IAS officers.
Accordingly, reports were filed on behalf of Public Secretary Reeta Harish Thakkar, Vigilance Commissioner K Manivasan, and DVAC Director Abhay Kumar Singh.
In the hearing before Justice N Anand Venkatesh on Tuesday, Additional Advocate General (AAG) J Ravindran, appearing for the Tamil Nadu Government, submitted that the request seeking sanction to prosecute had been sent to the Central Government and was still pending. Reminder letters had also been sent.
He admitted that the department should have acted more swiftly and asserted that no official was being shielded, adding that the officers had already been named as accused in the case. He assured the court that further steps would be taken after the Centre grants approval.
Following this submission, the judge adjourned the hearing of the case to February 20.