The Madras High Court on Tuesday directed its Registry to give former AIADMK Minister S.P. Velumani, a copy of Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption’s (DVAC) 2019 preliminary inquiry report in which he was given a clean chit regarding allegations of irregularities in the tenders called for by Greater Chennai and Coimbatore corporations.
Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and N. Mala permitted the former minister’s counsel V. Elangovan to obtain copy of the report as well as other documents that had been filed by the DVAC in a sealed cover. Thereafter, they adjourned further hearing on the petitions filed by R.S. Bharathi of DMK and anti-corruption outfit Arappor Iyakkam to June 27.
The former Minister was allowed to obtain a copy of the interim inquiry report in accordance with orders passed by the Supreme Court on May 20. A three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana had directed the High Court to furnish to the former minister the findings of the inquiry conducted by Superintendent of Police R. Ponni.
In its order, the Supreme Court pointed out that the investigating officer had been handpicked by the High Court for conducting the preliminary inquiry after Mr. Bharathi and Arappor Iyakkam had approached the court alleging irregularities. The officer gave a clean chit to the former Minister and the then government too accepted her report in January 2020.
Nevertheless, the petitions filed by the complainants were kept pending until there was a change of regime in the State and after the new government took over, the police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the former Minister on the basis of the Comptroller and Auditor General’s report on the tenders awarded by the two corporations.
Though the former Minister sought copies of the preliminary inquiry report in which he was given a clean chit by the DVAC, the High Court rejected his plea and disposed of both petitions in November 2021 leading to an appeal preferred before the Supreme Court which restored the two petitions before the High Court and ordered a fresh hearing.
The Supreme Court also permitted the former Minister to approach the High Court with a plea to quash the FIR.
