Gutkha scam: EOW SP appears before ED, former DGP seeks 10 more days

CHENNAI: The Superintendent of Economic Offences Wing appeared before ED investigators on Monday, in connection with the probe into the gutkha scam.

S Vimala was Deputy Commissioner of Madhavaram during the period when the police and other agencies allegedly allowed the illegal sale of gutkha between 2013 and 2016 after collecting nearly Rs 40 crore as bribe.

Though former DGP TK Rajendran was also summoned by the ED sleuths to appear on Monday, sources said that the he did not turn up, adding that he has sought 10 days’ time. The ED has summoned Additional Commissioner of Chennai R Dhinakaran to appear on Tuesday.

The agency had summoned number of retired and serving officials for inquiry in connection with the scam, including retired DGP S George, Villupuram SP Jayakumar, former Assistant Commissioner Mannar Mannan and a few inspectors as part of its investigation.

These police officials, who had served in different capacities – from inspector to commissioner – in Chennai police, are expected to throw more light to the modus operandi of scam, in which some officials were accused of receiving huge money as bribe.

The directorate has already attached properties worth Rs 246 crore belonging to three gutkha traders few months ago after registering a case based on a CBI FIR to probe into all aspects, including illegal manufacture, import, supply, distribution and sale of gutkha and other banned tobacco products in the State from May 2013 to 2016.

CBI had arrested traders AV Madahva Rao, PV Srinivasa Rao, Tallam Umashankar Gupta and three government employees in connection with the case. In September last year, the CBI raided the houses then DGP Rajendran, former city police Commissioner S George and Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar.

The gutkha scam relates to the alleged payment of bribes to the tune of Rs 39.91 crore to State ministers, police officials and a few others by a gutkha trader. The details of bribes given were traced by Income Tax officials from a ledger when they raided the trader’s godown in June 2016.

Though former DGP TK Rajendran was also summoned to appear on Monday, sources said he did not turn up, adding that he has sought 10 days’ time