HC adjourns Velumani's petitions against DVAC cases to Oct 12

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court's special bench hearing MPs and MLAs cases adjourned the petitions to October 12 filed by AIADMK leader and former minister SP Velumani to quash two FIRS booked by DVAC.

The cases were filed on the charges of illegalities in awarding the tenders of Chennai and Coimbatore Corporations.

Heading the bench along with Justice Teekaa Raman, Justice PN Prakash passed the direction after hearing the brief about the case from Velumani's counsel senior advocates Sathish Parasaran, Mohan, State Public Prosecutor Hasan Mohammed Jinnah, complainant Arappor organization's counsel V Suresh.

The advocates explained about the history and background of the case since it was registered in 2018 and the Supreme Court's latest directions.

Recording the submissions, the judges adjourned the matter to October 12 for hearing the final arguments. Besides, the special bench extended the interim injunction against the DVAC from filing the final report in the case till October 12.

In 2018, Arappor and DMK organizing secretary RS Bharathi approached the Madras High Court seeking direction to the DVAC to file a case against Velumani for awarding tenders of Chennai and Coimbatore corporations worth Rs 811 crore to the companies of family members and friends of Velumani.

Later, the HC appointed former DVAC SP R Ponni to launch a probe and the officer gave a clean chit to Velumani.

Subsequently, the government closed the case. However, when the DMK came to power in May 2021, the case was reopened and the FIRs were filed in August 2021. The DVAC also filed a separate DA case against Velumani alleging that his wealth has increased to several folds between 2014 and 2022.