Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief MK Stalin on Tuesday met Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit to submit a list of corruption allegations against Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami and other ministers in his cabinet. The DMK has alleged that despite multiple complaints being given against the ministers to law enforcement agencies, there has been little or no action taken. They have requested the Governor to now intervene and initiate enquiry, insulate the law enforcement agencies from external influence and establish the rule of law in Tamil Nadu.
The representation consists of allegations against the Chief Minister, Deputy CM O Panneerselvam, Municipal administration minister SP Velumani, Electricity Minister P Thangamani, Food and Supplies Minister R Kamaraj, Health Minister C Vijaya Bhaskar, Revenue Minister RB Udhayakumar and Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar. The 98 page document lists individual allegations against the ministers in regard to government schemes and projects, along with the amount of money that was allegedly siphoned off.
"In spite of our actions in bringing these allegations along with specific and verifiable details to the information of the law enforcement agencies, there has been little or no progress in terms of registration of FIR or conduct of an independent and reliable investigation. As such, we have reasons to believe that the Council of Ministers is preventing the law from taking its course and that this is a further and more serious criminal act being coordinated under the leadership of Mr. Edappadi K. Palanisami," states the representation.
Amongst the allegations listed against the CM are corruption in awarding of tenders to his relatives, corruption in free Public distribution scheme (Rice) given the central government and disproportionate assets. The deputy CM too has been alleged to have disproportionate assets and of having received bribes. Velumani meanwhile has allegedly been involved in large scale corruption in allotting contracts to his benamies and of corruption in LED lamp fixation while Thangamani is allegedly part of coal import scam and corruption in the East India Distilleries contract.
"In summary, these are cogent allegations of serious and cognizable criminal offences, which are being levelled against the members of the Council of Ministers," reads the representation to the Governor. “A bare reading of these allegations would reveal and establish prima facie cases of acts of corruption, accumulation of assets disproportionate to known sources of income and other offences punishable under the Prevention of Corruption Act 2018, unlawfully influencing commercial tenders leading to breach of Transparency in Tenders Rules 2000, misappropriation of public funds, criminal breach of trust as a public servant and other offences under the Indian Penal Code 1860, etc., are detailed in this Representation, for your knowledge and swift action," states the DMK.
In conclusion, the party president requested the governor to direct the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-corruption to inquire and register cases under section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act -2018 and investigate the cases as per law.