Chennai: The special court for the cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act, Chennai, has acquitted seven persons, including six officials of the charges, committing irregularities in the allotment of land belonged to a society in the Okkiyam Thuraipakkam village, Kanchipuram district.
According to prosecution, R. Padmanaban, section officer/accounts officer in the office of commissioner of tourism, Chennai, G. Devadoss - under secretary, handlooms and khadi department, R. Gopal, under secretary, labour and employment department, secretariat, B. Devaraj, section officer, revenue department, M. Elanchezhian, section officer, labour department, and S.
Vijayalakshmi, assistant section officer, prohibition and excise department, and two others were accused in the case. Padmanaban was president, Devadoss was vice-president, and Gopal, Devaraj Elanchezhian and Vijayalakshmi were board of directors of Tamil Nadu Secretariat Staff Co-operative Housing Society Ltd between September 23, 1999 to March 18, 2004. The State Government assigned 23.02 hectares of land to the Society in Okkiyam Thuraipakkam village, Kancheepuram district on March 9, 1999, for the benefits of its members.
The plots were expected to be allotted to the members, who were not benefited under any scheme already in existence. The society formed 680 residential plots, 58 public plots, 6 convenience shops and 12 shop sites and 1 school site in the place.
The prosecution said the president, vice president and board of directors along with Anandan committed irregularities in the allotment of the plots and allotted the plots to their friends and relatives and other ineligible members. The school site measuring 22,800 sq ft allotted to Anthoniar Adimai, father in law of Devadoss. Hence, they caused a huge revenue loss to the society.
The DVAC personnel registered a case against Padmanaban, Devadoss, Gopal, Devaraj, Elanchezhian, Vijayalakshmi, Anandan and Elamathi (now expired) under several sections of the IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act.
Counsels for the accused stated that the Padmanaban and Devadoss as office-bearers of the society were not discharging any public duty and hence does not come under the purview of Section 2 (c) (ix) of Prevention of Corruption Act. As per section 66 of DVAC manual, the chargesheet should be submitted within 3 months from the date of registration of the case.
However, the case was registered on February 16, 2009 and the draft charge sheet was prepared on January 29, 2012, and filed before this court in 2013. The prosecution failed to follow the guidelines. The general body at its meeting held on March 18, 2004 had approved the allotment of public purpose plots. The allotment done only with the approval of the General Body Meeting and Deputy Registrar (Housing). Hence, there were no irregularities in allotment of public purpose plots.
Acquitting them from the charges, the special judge, S. Kanchana, said the prosecution failed to establish the guilt of the accused beyond all reasonable doubts.
