CHENNAI: Stepping up heat on the DMK, the TVK-led State government has asked Governor-in-charge Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar to accord sanction for prosecution requests against former ministers pending with him, sources said.
Separately, Speaker JCD Prabhakar also called on the governor, a meeting that was described as a courtesy call.
Among the cases that figured in Energy Resources and Law Minister R Nirmalkumar and Higher Education Minister P Viswanathan’s meeting with the governor was to allow the Directorate of Enforcement to prosecute former minister V Senthilbalaji in the alleged cash-for-jobs scam.
Around three weeks ago, the TVK-led government had forwarded a formal request seeking the governor's approval to enable the ED to proceed against Senthilbalaji. Prosecution proposals relating to several other former ministers and also officials who were in charge during the DMK regime are also awaiting the governor's decision, sources said.
The meeting also covered other government matters, including legislative business and the issue of the Governor's role as Chancellor of State universities, which is pending before the court.
The meeting assumes significance as the government has been pressing for an early decision on prosecution proposals that have remained pending with the governor. Approval of the files is expected to clear the way for further legal proceedings in the cases.
However, Lok Bhavan described the meetings as separate courtesy calls. In a statement, it said Speaker Prabhakar thanked the governor for delivering the customary address at the inaugural sitting of the first session of the present Assembly. Separate statements issued by Lok Bhavan said Viswanathan and Nirmalkumar also paid courtesy calls on the governor.
While none of the statements referred to any discussion on prosecution proposals or other pending government matters, sources maintained that the meeting primarily focused on prosecution files awaiting the governor's approval, along with other issues requiring his concurrence.