DVAC raids ex-TN minister EV Velu, 11 others in roadworks graft case

THe board of directors of Vigilance and Anti- putrefaction (DVAC) on th conducted searches at the premises of former Tamil Nadu government minister EV Velu and 11 others in link with an alleged corruption case involving road construction works and payments made for projects that were allegedly not executed.According to a first information report (FIR), the case stems from a complaint filed by Arappor Iyakkam convenor Jayaram Venkatesan. Based on the complaint, the DVAC has booked Velu, who was then the highways and minor ports minister and is currently the MLA from Tiruvannamalai, along with several highways department officials and contractors.The FIR alleges that substantial payments were made to contractors in various divisions of the highways department for works that had not been executed by March 2022.According to people familiar with the development, the DVAC received a petition dated April 20, 2022, from Venkatesan seeking action against the former minister.Those named in the FIR include former assistant divisional engineer of the highways department R Kannan, former junior engineer Boopalan Singh, former divisional accountant K Periasamy, former divisional engineer RB Sathyabama, and several other officials and contractors.In his complaint, Venkatesan alleged that officials, contractors and others were involved in siphoning off public funds without carrying out road works. He claimed Arappor Iyakkam had learnt that crores of rupees were paid to contractors in various divisions of the State Highways Department in March 2022 for works that had not been executed.“This seems to have happened through collusion of officials of the state highways department and a select set of contractors. We request you to immediately register an FIR under the Prevention of Corruption Act and conduct a thorough investigation,” Venkatesan said in his complaint.He further alleged corruption and mismanagement in the utilisation of funds allocated under the Comprehensive Road Infrastructure Development Programme (CRIDP).Referring to one instance, Venkatesan said that in the Tiruppur circle of the Construction and Maintenance wing of the highways department, payments were allegedly made without corresponding work being carried out.“In Tiruppur circle of construction and maintenance in the state highways department, we came to know that of the sanctioned amount of ₹4.19 crore, ₹3.23 crore was paid without any work actually being done,” he alleged.He also referred to a complaint filed by former AIADMK minister MR Vijayabhaskar on April 5, 2022, after which four officials were suspended.“This is said to be on the report submitted by the superintendent engineer to the chief engineer that the payment had been made without laying the roads,” he said.The NGO cited similar alleged irregularities in other parts of the state and submitted supporting material along with its complaint.Based on the complaint, the DVAC said prima facie material indicated that officials of the highways department and private individuals entered into a criminal conspiracy in 2022 and awarded contracts for widening and improvement of roads, improvement of riding quality and reconstruction of cross-drainage works in Karur and other places.According to the FIR, works worth around ₹7 crore were sanctioned, and payments of ₹3.23 crore were allegedly made on March 25 and 28, 2022, without the corresponding work being executed.Reacting to the searches, DMK president and former chief minister MK Stalin said Velu was fully cooperating with the investigation.“DVAC is conducting a raid at the residence of Tiruvannamalai South district party secretary and former minister EV Velu. He is extending full cooperation to it. Facing this legally, he will prove the justice in court,” Stalin said in a social media post.“History shows that when driven by political vendetta, not a single charge has ever been proven in any case filed so far alleging corruption during the DMK regime,” he added.“The DMK is not a movement that will be cowed down by these threats from the ruling government. We will face this too and emerge victorious,” Stalin said.