In a series of raids conducted by Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) since October this year at multiple premises, over Rs 7.5 crore unaccounted cash has been recovered. Notable among these is the seizure of Rs. 1.37 crore unaccounted cash from the office and residential premises of a superintendent of the Environment Department in Chennai.
The DVAC also seized 3.08 kgs of gold jewellery, 3,343 grams of silver worth Rs 1.5 lakh, diamonds worth Rs 5.4 lakh and property documents worth Rs 7 crore from the same place. DVAC has conducted over 127 surprise raids since October this year.
According to The Hindu, the suspected official has been identified as Pandian and DVAC seized Rs 88,500 unaccounted cash from his office in Panagal Maligai. The special team that conducted the search was acting on a specific input. Besides, cash, jewellery and valuables, the official had also invested in Rs 37 lakh in fixed deposits.
Pandian has also been accused of doctoring a false map that the Kosasthalaiyar River and its backwaters disappear. In a letter addressed to DVAC Director, a few members of the society including former judge of the Madras High Court Justice D Hariparanthaman, writer and activist Nityanand Jayaraman, singer and activist TM Krishna, activist Pooja Kumar from Save Ennore Creek Campaign and a few others, have alleged that Pandian’s fraudulent activities have caused the illegal conversion of over 2,000 acres of wetlands into real estate at Kattupalli island.
According to reports, DVAC has also unearthed Rs 62 lakh cash from one house of a Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) engineer last week. In October, raids conducted in the house of another TNPCB official in Vellore yielded nearly Rs 3.58 crore and 450 sovereigns of gold. In another house-search of another TNPCB official in Tiruvarur, DVAC seized of Rs 3.14 lakh.
Seizures were also made at several sub-registrar offices (SRO) based on tip-offs. Vallam SRO in Viluppuram (Rs 73,200 seized), Andhiyur SRO in Erode (Rs 66,030), Vaniyambadi SRO in Vellore (Rs 94,000) were raided. On Monday, DVAC seized over Rs 13 lakh in cash and 114 sovereigns of gold jewellery worth Rs 50 lakh from the house and office of the Guduvanchery sub-registrar in Chengalpattu.