5 Madurai Corpn Health officials face DVAC probe

At least five Heath department officials, including retired staff, of Madurai Corporation, are facing a probe by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) for allegedly swindling more than Rs 88 lakh in the name of purchasing water treatment chemical during the 2012-2018 period.

The accused Madurai Corporation officials are Dr V Sathish Raghavan, formerly City Health Officer; Dr K Parthipan, formerly Assistant City Health Officer; NK Malini, retired superintendent, Central Health Section;

P Gunasekaran, Assistant, Central Health Section; A Abdul Karim, retired computer operator-cum-clerk,

Central Health Section; and private person SP Ramamoorthy from Ashok Nagar, Chennai.

They allegedly created fake bills and invoices to show the purchase of

13,950 litres of temephos, on 17 various occasions for a total amount of Rs

88.88 lakh and collected the amount from the Madurai Corporation, while actually no material was supplied, the DVAC FIR noted.

Between 2012 to 2018, the five employees of the corporation entered into a criminal conspiracy with the last suspect and agreed to accept by illegal means the 17 numbers of fake and fabricated bill/tax invoices alleged to have been issued by the approved tenderer for alleged supply of 13,950 litres of temephos.

The DVAC registered a case under six IPC sections along with provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The accused allegedly swindled more than Rs 88 lakh in the name of purchasing water treatment chemical during 2012-18 period