Chennai: The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) started to raid 39 places linked to AIADMK former Ministers SP Velumani and C Vijayabaskar across Tamil Nadu on Tuesday. The DVAC started the raids after separately filing two different FIRs on Monday.
The DVAC started to raid 13 places linked to Viralimalai MLA Vijayabaskar in districts including Chennai, Salem, Madurai, Theni, Pudukottai and Thiruvallur.
According to a report on ABP Nadu, the FIR said, the former Minister Vijayabaskar while serving as the Health Minister of Tamil Nadu gave an Essentiality Certificate to Vels Medical College in Oothukottai of Tiruvallur district. While awarding the certificate, corrupt practices were followed, said DVAC, as per the FIR.
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On the other hand, DVAC also started raids at 26 places linked to SP Velumani in districts including Chennai, Coimbatore, Tiruchy and Chengalpattu. In the separate FIR against SP Velumani, the DVAC said that the Minister allegedly amassed wealth to the tune of Rs 500 crore while awarding LED bulb tenders in five districts.
The bulbs were reportedly quoted much higher than the market price. In the FIR against SP Velumani, DVAC said, "A plan was hatched to swindle public money in the name of replacing the old street lights with LED lights at village Panchayat Level under the guise of reducing electricity consumption and annual maintenance of street lights during the year 2015 to 2018 in phased manner."
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As a result, the DVAC said that the tender resulted in a loss of Rs 75,58,700 to the state's chequer.
Meanwhile, the DVAC also registered a case against Vijayabaskar and his wife for acquiring disproportionate assets to the tune of Rs 27,22,56,736 during his tenure as an MLA between 2016-2021. It also raided 43 locations related to the former Minister.
In March, DVAC raided the residence and places linked to former Minister SP Velumani for allegedly swindling Rs 58.23 crore during the period of his office as the Minister of Municipal Administration, Rural Development and Law.