The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) acts as a chameleon changing colours according to the ruling government, said Madras High Court judge Anand Venkatesh on Thursday. The judge also made a scathing remark that DVAC behaves like a puppet and sings different tunes in tandem with the political masters. The Madras HC judge made the remark while revising the suo moto disappropriate assets case against former Tamil Nadu CM O Panneerselvam.
Observing a trend in the three revision petitions Anand Venkatesh had filed against serving ministers, the judge noted that the pattern had its origins in this case.
Earlier, Justice Venkatesh decided to review the discharge of three DMK Ministers including K Ponmudi, KKSSR Ramachandran and Thangam Thennarasu in a disproportionate assets case against them. This is the fourth suo moto revision by the judge.
He also noted that the courts were not performing their duty and that the DVAC was functioning like a chameleon, said a report on IANS.
He claimed that DVAC initiates charges against Opposition leaders and when the same opposition obtains power, the DVAC ends the old case against the leader. He further stated that the criminal justice system has never heard of such a practice.
Justice Anand Venkatesh added that the courts now take ordinary citizens, MPs, MLAs, and ministers into account differently. He continued by calling this a disgrace to the criminal justice system.
In this matter, which was closed ten years ago, he claimed that this was the reason he decided to pursue it suo moto. Additionally, the court ordered the Madras High Court registry to notify the accused, including OPS, that the revision petition will be heard on September 27.
OPS was discharged from the DA case in 2012.