Arappoor Iyyakam, an anti-corruption NGO, has asked Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi to accord sanction to prosecute former minister and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)leader KC Veeramani in connection to allegations of disproportionate assets.
The organisation’s convenor Jayaram Venkatesan in a letter to the Governor said, “It has come to our notice through the letter published by the state government that the file seeking prosecution against former minister KC Veeramani is pending in your office for the past ten months now. We would like to press you to act fast and provide immediate sanction against the former minister.”
Jayaram also added in the letter that he had filed a complaint with the Directorate of Vigilance Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on August 16, 2021 against Veeramani. He alleged that the former minister had accumulated Rs 76.65 crores worth assets disproportionate to his known sources of income during the period between 2011 to 2021.
Jayaram Venkatesan also said in his letter that based on the complaint filed by his organisation, the DVAC conducted a discrete inquiry and had filed an FIR in September 2021. According to the details in this FIR, the DVAC had discovered assets worth Rs 28.78 crore for the period between 2016 to 2021 which was the period that the DVAC conducted a detailed investigation.
He further said that after the DVAC investigation, the Tamil Nadu state government had sought sanction from the governor to prosecute Veeramani as per section 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, on September 12, 2022.
Jayaram Venkatesan added in the letter that the reason for a governor needing to provide sanction to competent authorities was only to prevent honest public servants being subjected to malicious prosecution.
He however said that a cursory reading of the affidavits filed by the former minister and his income tax return amounts filed or disclosed during various elections would clearly show that there was a huge accumulation of assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
The complainant said that the delay of the office of the Governor to not provide sanction is unjustified and that the inordinate delay in prosecution and possible conviction was unjustified.
