Six AIADMK MLAs Detained For Protesting Against DVAC Raids At Ex-Minister SP Velumani’s Residence

On Tuesday, DVAC started to raid the residences and places linked to former Ministers SP Velumani and C Vijayabaskar in connection with two different cases across Tamil Nadu.

AIADMK worker being picked up by the police ( Image Source :ABP Nadu )

Chennai: Tamil Nadu police detained six former MLAs for staging a protest condemning the raids by Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) at former Minister SP Velumani’s residence and offices in Coimbatore and 25 other places across Tamil Nadu.

The arrested MLAs are Amal Kandasamy, Amman Arjunan, S Dhamotharan, Kandasamy, Arunkumar and AK Selvaraj.

On Tuesday, DVAC started to raid the residences and places linked to former Ministers SP Velumani and C Vijayabaskar across Tamil Nadu.

As a result, supporters of Minister SP Velumani and six AIADMK MLAs gathered in front of the former Minister’s residence in Coimbatore condemning DVAC raids. They also reportedly created a ruckus following which the police detained them on Tuesday.

According to the FIR, Minister SP Velumani has been named as the accused along with nine others. According to the FIR registered by police based on the complaint by DVAC, " In pursuance of conspiracy they (SP Velumani) violated tender guidelines and allotted tenders mostly to the benami entities of SP Velumani, former minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj by fixing higher rate for the LED street lights than the original rate without comparing the prevailing market rate and caused loss to the exchequer."

"On sample verification of five districts it is found that they caused loss to the tune of Rs.74,00,58,700.32 to the Government exchequer in Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department," it said. 

Therefore, police registered a case under multiple sections of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

Apart from Coimbatore, DVAC is also raiding places linked to SP Velumani in districts including Chennai, Coimbatore, Tiruchy and Chengalpattu. 

Previous raids

Meanwhile, places linked to SP Velumani and his associates have been already raided twice in March 2022 and August 2021. In August 2021, the raids were conducted based on a complaint by  DMK's RS Bharathi and an anti-corruption watchdog Arappor Iyyakkam against the former Minister for amassing disproportionate assets by awarding contracts of Chennai and Coimbatore Corporations to his close associates. 

In March 2022, DVAC raided the former Minister's residence and offices for allegedly swindling Rs 58.23 crore during the period of office as the Minister of Municipal Administration, Rural Development and Law.