It's a wasteful expenditure says Madras HC and suspends Reghupathi Commission

The Madras High Court ordered the Tamil Nadu government to suspend the Regupathi Commission that was constituted to probe into the alleged irregularities in the construction of the new Secretariat complex during the DMK regime.

The order comes after Justice Subramaniam had, on Wednesday, commented on the unnecessary expenditure by the government in maintaining the commission. Noting that the government was not effectively following the work of the Commission, Justice Subramaniam wondered if it is not a wasteful expenditure. He also added that when the expenditure was made from the state exchequer, the court cannot remain a mute spectator.

“The third respondent/ State is directed to issue orders within one week from today, suspending the Hon’ble Thiru Justice R Regupathi Commission of Inquiry and stop all further allotment of funds including the perquisites and Government facilities, till the final disposal of writ petitions,” read the order passed on Friday.

The Madras High Court also ordered the Commission to hand over the records, reports of investigation and the statements and the evidence collected over the time to the government within two weeks from the date of the order.

The court also ordered the state government to read the documents handed over by the Commission and to initiate criminal proceedings against everybody named in the report.

The court directed the state to issue orders to the Commissions to vacate the government residential bungalows allotted to them within one month from the date of the order and that if at all any accommodation is required, it shall be provided in the government office buildings.

The Court ordered the state government to review the functioning of all the Commissions appointed by it and decide, within four weeks, on continuing, dissolving or fixing a time limit for the Commissions to submit report.

Regupathi Commission was constituted under Former Madras High Court Judge R Regupathi in December 2011 by the AIADMK government to inquire into the alleged irregularities and excess expenditure in building the new Secretariat complex in Omandurar Government estate.