Hours after the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC) informed the Madras High Court that a preliminary inquiry into corruption allegations against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami was underway, DMK's Working President MK Stalin has called for the removal of the top cop investigating the case.
In a statement to the press, Stalin said, "There will be no justice when the tainted investigate the tainted. DMK has filed proof of corruption against Chief Minister Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister Panneerselvam. Yet, the DVAC, led by an official who's under a cloud, has not filed cases. A clean, IG-ranked officer must take over the inquiry."
Slamming the anti-graft body for its inaction, the Leader of the Opposition MK Stalin said, "The cases against Ministers, the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister are not even moving at a tortoise’s pace."
DMK has lodged complaints against both the Chief Minister as well as the Deputy Chief Minister under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA).
In June this year, the DMK had lodged a complaint with the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, alleging irregularities in the awarding of government highways contracts to relatives and benamis of the Chief Minister.
In a disproportionate assets case against O Panneerselvam filed in March, the DMK has accused him of having ‘acquired huge assets and wealth, either in his name or his family members’ name or in the names of benamis, after his ascent to political power as MLA, Minister, Chief Minister and now, Deputy Chief Minister.’
Stalin’s statement also mentions news reports of the attempts to scuttle the probe against OPS by putting Additional Superintendent of Police, Tamil Nadu Police Academy, Thirunavukkarasu in charge, even as the latter is set to retire in September this year.
Stalin’s call for removing the top cop also cites the tainted Health Minister C Vijayabaskar whose properties were raided during in April 2017. The seizure of cash worth over Rs 5 crore as well as documents had led the Election Commission to cancel the RK Nagar bye-elections, necessitated by the death of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.