Chennai, October 10 (Daily Kiran) : Former legislator and leader of the Tamilaga Vazhvurimai Katchi (TVK), T. Velmurugan, has called for a transparent investigation into the alleged misuse of funds allocated for students at the Adi Dravidar Welfare Hostels in Tamil Nadu‘s Shivaganga district between 2017 and 2023. He has raised concerns over the delays in action against the officials facing allegations.
In a post on social media platform X, Velmurugan described the allegations as shocking and urged the Tamil Nadu government to ensure accountability, recover losses due to corruption, and redirect the funds for the benefit of students. He noted that the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court has raised serious questions regarding the departmental action against eight district officials implicated in the case.
According to Velmurugan, this controversy has cast doubt on the operations of administrative officials responsible for ensuring the proper use of funds designated for students’ education, meals, and basic needs. He expressed particular concern that, based on information presented in court, some accused officials were promoted, while others retired amidst these serious accusations. He questioned why there has been a delay in disciplinary actions despite the gravity of the allegations related to funds earmarked for students.
Velmurugan also demanded clarification on how promotions were granted to the accused officials during the investigation and the circumstances surrounding the retirement of certain officials. He pressed for a comprehensive inquiry into the roles of all individuals involved in fund management over the six-year period.
He asserted that senior officials responsible for safeguarding taxpayer money should be held accountable for any negligence. Emphasizing the need for a fair investigation, Velmurugan insisted that legal action should be taken against anyone found to have a direct or indirect role in the alleged misconduct, regardless of their political or administrative position.
He stressed that the criteria for the investigation should be uniform for all involved, whether they are linked to the previous government or current officials. Velmurugan urged the government to recover the full amount allegedly misappropriated and spend it on student welfare. He stated that the misuse of funds intended for students cannot be dismissed as a mere administrative oversight. It is the government’s fundamental responsibility to ensure that the money allocated for education reaches the actual beneficiaries.
On behalf of his party, Velmurugan appealed to the state government to provide clear answers to each allegation raised in court, present the guilty parties before the judiciary without bias, and maintain transparency throughout the investigation process.
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