DVAC to file fresh report on KT Rajendra Balaji Rajendra Balaji assets case

Chennai: The Madras high court has directed officials of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to file a fresh status report in connection with allegations of amassing wealth disproportionate to income against minister for milk and dairy development K.T. Rajendra Balaji.

Advocate general Vijay Narayanhad submitted a status report of the DVAC in a sealed cover before the Division Bench comprising Justices M. Sathyanarayanan and R. Hemalatha before which the matter came up for hearing, on Friday. The bench then directed the registrar judicial to keep the sealed cover under his custody, and produce it to the court as and when required.

When the advocate general sought further time stating that some more witnesses were to be enquired and to file another status report, the bench granted time up to October 8, 2018, and posted the matter to that date for further hearing.

It may be noted that the Madurai Bench of the Madras HC, in June 2018, had ordered the DVAC to probe allegations against minister K.T. Rajendra Balaji of amassing wealth disproportionate to his income. On a petition filed by Mahendran, the court ordered that the probe be conducted from 1996 by a police officer of the rank of Superintendent of Police, and directed the DVAC to submit its first report in August.

On June 12, the Bench observed that the DVAC had not at all done the preliminary enquiry into the complaint given by Mahendran, and ordered for a fresh preliminary inquiry.