CHENNAI: PMK founder S Ramadoss on Thursday sought a CBI inquiry into alleged irregularities in the purchase of communication equipment for Tamil Nadu police force at a cost of Rs 83.45 crore, while DMK leader M.K. Stalin accused the state government of even corrupting the police force.
Ramadoss' demand came a day after reports emerged that Tamil Nadu home secretary Niranjan Mardi has written to the state Director General of Police (DGP) seeking explanations on an array of questions relating to the purchase of communication equipment for the police force at a cost of Rs 83.45 crore.
“Under the modernisation of police scheme, it was planned to purchase 10,000 walkie-talkies for the police force at a cost of Rs 47.56 crore. But a tender was issued and awarded for Rs 83.45 crore for purchase of just 4,000 walkie-talkies. It is a serious violation of the rules that tender was floated for an amount more than the sanctioned one,” Ramadoss said.
Quoting the letter Mardi sent to DGP T K Rajendran, Ramadoss not just expressed doubts over the veracity of the firm awarded the tender and also questioned how a firm that hasn't obtained mandatory documents was allotted the tender.
“Since the tender was allotted to unqualified firm, there seems to be a big scam in the tender. The first evidence of corruption is the letter the Home Secretary wrote to the DGP seeking explanation and the tender should be rescinded immediately. So, the CBI should probe the issue,” Ramadoss said.
Responding to questions about the letter, Stalin told reporters that the state government headed by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami was so “incompetent” that corruption had even reached the police force, which is supposed to protect the people.
“I saw the news reports about the tender for walkie-talkie. You know who the DGP is…he is the same person who was accused of receiving bribe from gutkha manufacturers. And moreover, the DGP should have retired by now but he has been given a tow-year extension by the government,” he said.
