Not a single First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged against any corrupt IAS officer in Tamil Nadu for the last 20 years while FIRs have been registered against several politicians for corruption, as per anti-corruption NGO Arappor Iyakkam Convener Jayaram Venkatesan. In an open letter to the Tamil Nadu IAS Officers' Association, on Friday, June 17, Jayaram said that corrupt IAS officers play a large role in corruption in government departments, in collusion with ministers and contractors.
The NGO’s letter also names seven officers who have allegedly indulged in corruption in Tamil Nadu. “IAS officials such as Karthikeyan IAS, Vijaya Karthikeyan IAS, Sudha Devi IAS, Hans Raj Verma IAS, Kandasamy IAS, G Prakash IAS, Rammohan Rao IAS (R) and many more have been found to be aiding corruption in departments they worked and Arappor Iyakkam’s complaints on such corruption are pending enquiry/investigation in the Directorate of Vigilance of Anti-Corruption,” the letter read.
Jayaram further said that corrupt IAS officers misuse their powers, thereby “creating a wall of protection” ensuring no action is taken against them. "It is the responsibility of the larger IAS family to ensure that the files for enquiry or investigation and prosecution against corrupt IAS officers are given immediate approval and that they are not blocked or delayed," Venkatesan said in the letter. He added that corrupt IAS officers block information to the people and key changes are required to address corruption such as end-to-end e-tendering, Right to Service Act, among others.
Appealing to the IAS Officers' Association and honest IAS officers to pressurise the government to file an FIR and chargesheet against corrupt officials, Jayaram invited them to participate in Arappor Iyakkam's 'Kollaiyane Veliyeru' or ‘Dacoits Get Out' protest in Chennai on Sunday, June 19.