Chennai: While most of the residents fume about the growing assets of their local ward councilors and MLAs, V. Gopalakrishnan, a civic activist in South Chennai, has gone a step further by filing a complaint with the directorate of vigilance and anti corruption stating that he could not understand the math behind the wealth accumulation of his area councillor.
Subsequently vigilance department forwarded the matter to the office of local administration ombudsman in Guindy last month along with the registration papers of the properties purchased by the councillor.
In his petition, Gopalakrishnan stated that K. Vidhubalan of AIADMK is a councillor-representing ward 138 and is a public servant. In 2014, the councillor bought a property in his wife name at Jafferkhanpet and also possesses a Scorpio car and two bikes after becoming the ward councillor. Whereas, the councillor in his election affidavit admitted that he never had the said properties, the petition said. “Further the councillor had acquired more properties in the past two years”, Gopalakrishnan alleged adding that the old SUVs are now getting replaced with new ones with fancy registration numbers.
When contacted councillor Vidhubalan denied the charges and said he was ready to face petitions and further investigations. “Most of my properties were purchased even before I got elected as a councillor and the complainant has vested interest against me”, charged the councillor. Sending petitions and complaints are a regular activity of the activist and I have purchased properties in a free and fair manner and there is no foul play, quipped the councillor.
Meanwhile informed sources with Chennai Corporation admitted that such complaints against councillors hardly makes any difference. “It’s a regular process for the DVAC to forward the complaint to the ombudsman and in the past ten years, there is no action against any councillor for misappropriation of wealth”, said an informed source with Chennai corporation.
