HC ORDERS CBI PROBE AGAINST TAMIL NADU CM
CHENNAI: In a blow to the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government in Tamil Nadu, the Madras high court on Friday ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into alleged corruption in ₹3,500 crore worth of contracts for state highways -- a portfolio overseen by chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami .
Justice A D Jagadish Chandira delivered the order after hearing a plea by the opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) against a clean chit given by the directorate of vigilance and anti-corruption (DVAC) to Palaniswami. The order comes just three days after DVAC submitted its report.
Justice Chandira said that the DVAC probe had failed to satisfy the court.
“The DVAC should submit the case diary and files to CBI within a week. The CBI should probe the case within a month. If there is any prima facie evidence against the CM, it should file an FIR (first information report,” the court ruled.
Earlier, DMK’S counsel N R Elango argued that the petitioner had lost faith in the DVAC’S probe as it had favoured Palaniswami.
In his petition, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s organising secretary R S Bharathi, a Rajya Sabha MP, said the CM, who is overseeing the highways department, had abused his powers in awarding five major road contracts worth ₹3,500 crores to his relatives.
Welcoming the ruling, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M K Stalin demanded that Palaniswamy step down. “Edappadi Palaniswamy should resign from his CM’S post. If the CM is not coming forward to resign, the governor should ask him,” Stalin said.
Reacting to the high court order, C Ponnaiyan, AIADMK leader and former finance minister said that they will appeal against the order.
“We will appeal against the order and will prove that we are genuine,” C Ponnaiyan said.