Notice to AIADMK MLA on Jaya’s thumb impression

Justice P Velmurugan, before whom the miscellaneous plea filed by Dr P Saravanan of the DMK to augment his main plea of challenging the by-election came up, issued notice to the returned candidate of Tirupparankundram constituency. 

Saravanan has submitted that the Principle Secretary of Health had played a vital role in the line of treatment offered to Jayalalithaa at the Apollo Hospitals in Chennai where the Government doctor attested her left thumb impression in Forms A and B of election documents, which is the core issue in the election petition moved by him. 

He further submitted that as per the attestation, the returned candidate was allowed to contest in ‘Two Leaves’ symbol under the ‘defective’ form A and B. Stating that the same materially affected the result of his election, he sought for a direction from the court to direct Health Secretary to produce the order appointing Dr Balaji to obtain the thumb impression and 17 other related documents. 

The Madras High Court has been moved against Higher Education Minister KP Anbalagan for allegedly seeking over Rs 13 crore as commission to award a contract for construction of additional ploytechnic buildings in eight districts. 

Justice M Duraiswamy, before whom the pleas came up on Thursday, permitted the petitioner to issue private notice to the Higher Education Minister. The judge also issued notice to the Chief Engineer, Public Works Department on the petition. 

V Vengan, a class-I contractor from Oothangarai in Krishnagiri district, contended that the Chief Engineer, PWD, Technical Education Circle, Guindy, issued a tender notification on May 8, 2017, calling for tenders under the ‘Two Cover System’ for the construction of additional buildings under Phase –II for new Government Polytechnic Colleges at Madurai, Theni, Pudukkottai, Villupuram,Vellore, Krishnagiri, Tiruchy and Erode districts. On June 22, the prequalification bid was opened by the Chief Engineer, PWD and the petitioner’s firm was found to be qualified. 

But, the tender to do with the price bid was not opened. Vengan contended that the Chief Engineer advised him to meet the Higher Education Minister Anbalagan. The Minister demanded 20 per cent commission on the contract work. Alleging that the Minister threatened to reject his tender, if he did not accede to the demand, he said the total value of the works is 79 crore and 16 per cent of the commission comes to Rs 12.65 crore. Vengan prayed for an interim order directing the Chief Engineer, PWD, not to open his financial bid without informing him.