DMK Rajya Sabha member T M Selvaganapathy may lose his seat after conviction

New Delhi: DMK Rajya Sabha member T M Selvaganapathy is all set to lose his membership of Parliament after a CBI court in Chennai on Thursday convicted him in the infamous cremation shed scam and sentenced him two years' imprisonment.

Selvaganapathy, a minister in AIADMK government headed by J Jayalalithaa during 1991-96, and four others were sentenced to rigorous imprisonment in connection with construction of cremation sheds in Nagapattinam district.

Special CBI Judge S Malathi also slapped a fine of Rs 25,000 on Selvaganapathy, J T Acharyulu, the then Special Commissioner of rural development, M Sathyamoorthy, Director of rural development, M Krishnamoorthy, Project Officer, T

Bharathi, proprietor Om Muruga Cement Company.

According to CBI, during 1995-96 under Jawahar Rojgar Yojana Scheme, a high level meeting was held by the then Local Administration and Rural Development Minister Selvaganapathy in which it was decided to construct 100 cremation sheds for Adi Dravidars in Nagapattinam.

Instead of awarding the contract to cooperative societies, it was entrusted to a private company and funds were also sanctioned. The PWD officials who inspected the shed found that it was not properly constructed following which the case was taken up by CBI.

The CBI alleged that all the five accused were found to be guilty of offences of causing a pecuniary loss to the government to the tune of Rs 23 lakh. The Judge in her order said the prosecution "adduced reliable and satisfactory evidence beyond reasonable doubt".