AIADMK leader and state electricity minister Natham Viswanathan, might soon face corruption charges, as the Madras High Court on Tuesday, asked the vigilance department to file a status report on an allegation of Rs 525 crore kickback which includes power purchase pacts.

This came after a petition was filed by SP Srinivasan from Kotturpuram in Chennai.

The director of vigilance and anti-corruption has been asked to file the report of the inquiry conducted on the minister and the other TANGEDCO officials, by the second week of June, as reported in The Times of India.

Sreenivasan said that the minister had ‘abused and misused his position’ and he had entered into agreements with private power producers through TANGEDCO officials. He alleged that they had caused a loss of Rs 25,000 crore and the minister himself had received Rs 525 crore.

He said that a bribe of Rs 525 crore was accepted from contractors and power purchase agreement holders. The loss of Rs 25,000 crore was caused as electricity was bought at a higher cost from power producers.

He also alleged that various solar power producers were allowed to enter into agreements only if they paid Rs 35 lakh to Rs 40 lakh as a commission. He added that the cost of Rs 7.01 per unit of solar power would be an advantage for the Adani group who have planned to start a plant in Ramanathapuram district, according to The Times of India.

He also said that application from genuine solar power generators were not considered within the time limit that was prescribed.