Former IAS officer to be jailed

The Madras High Court besides upholding the four-year jail term awarded to him by a special court also ordered confiscation of the ill-gotten property.

Justice A Selvam on upholding the trial court order against the former officer, directed the special court to ensure that Pandey completed the remaining part of his sentence.  He also directed the State Government to immediately confiscate the immovable properties listed by police on observing that confiscation of ill-gotten property is unavoidable in order to curb the evil practice of corruption, which has become rampant off late. 

The case against Pandey pertains to the check period of Jan 1, 1985 and May 31, 1997, when he had amassed properties worth Rs 1.05 crore for which he was unable to furnish source. Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-corruption (DVAC) had assessed his income during the period to be Rs 19.86 lakh, of which Rs 18.03 lakh was deducted as expenditure. DVAC chargesheet declared Rs 1.01 crore as unaccounted assets of the officer, who was a municipal administration secretary in Tamil Nadu