CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu law minister S Reghupathy on Wednesday wrote to the state governor R N Ravi, seeking early sanction to prosecute former AIADMK ministers facing corruption charges, including two in the infamous Gutkha scam being probed by the CBI. He also sought the governor’s assent to 13 pending bills passed by the State Assembly.
In his demi official letter to the Raj Bhavan, contents of which were translated and released to the media by the state government, Reghupathy said the CBI booked criminal cases against former AIADMK ministers Dr C Vijayabaksar and B V Ramana based on the direction of the Madras High Court which passed orders on complaints of them taking bribe from Gutkha distributors.
The state cabinet wrote to the Governor on September 12, 2022 to sanction prosecution against the two former ministers in the Gutkha scam, as was requested by the CBI, the minister added. “Unfortunately, no reply has been received for the letter (of the State) seeking sanction. Owing to the delay like never before, no further action could be initiated on the case,” the release quoted the law minister as saying in the letter.
Citing the pendency of the letters written by the state government to Raj Bhavan on September 12, 2022 and May 15, 2023 after the state cabinet approved the request of the DVAC to prosecute former AIADMK ministers K C Veeramani and M R Vijayabaskar in two other cases, the state law minister said, “The request letters are also pending for long (with Raj Bhavan).” The government release quoted the minister as pointing out to the governor that he has not given required sanction for prosecution in any corruption case involving former AIADMK ministers.
Apart from the pendency of files relating to sanction of prosecution against former AIADMK ministers, as many as 13 Bills passed by the State Assembly, including two pending for over three years are awaiting the assent of the governor, the minister said. Hence, pay special attention and sanction the aforesaid files to prosecute the former AIADMK ministers and grant assent to the pending bills, the minister added.