Chennai: The DMK has approached the Madras high court to direct the authorities to constitute a Special Investigation Team to probe into the allegations of misappropriation of funds by local administration minister S.P. Velumani.
The petition filed by R.S. Bharathi, the organising secretary of DMK, will come up for hearing shortly. According to Bharathi, Velumani has placed his benamis as directors in some companies shortly before contracts were awarded to them by various corporations, PWD, Chennai Metro Rail Ltd and Chennai Smart City Ltd. Velumani has abused his official position and exercised his personal influence as a minister in the government to obtain contracts for seven companies from government entities, resulting in misappropriation of public funds and accumulation of disproportionate assets, Bharathi alleged.
Bharathi further alleged that these companies all owned and/or managed by benamis (relatives or close associates) of Velumani have been awarded government contracts through departments controlled by Velumani and over a short span of time have seen an astronomical increase in turnover.
The benamis of Velumani have become directors and controlled companies in unrelated sectors like jewellery and hospitals through unaccounted money gained through contracts awarded by him and these companies were then used for money laundering of his disproportionate assets. Therefore, he lodged a complaint on September 10, 2018, with the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption. But till now, there was no response, Bharathi added.
