Major Progress in SP Velumani Tender Scam as IAS Officers Face Charges

Chennai, November 12 (Daily Kiran) : The SP Velumani tender scam has taken a significant turn, as the central government has granted permission to prosecute two IAS officers involved in the case. This decision follows a directive from the Madras High Court, which ordered the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to file a final report against the officers in a special court.

The two IAS officers, Kandasamy and Vijay Kartikeyan, are accused of irregularities tied to tenders awarded during Velumani’s tenure as Tamil Nadu’s minister. Allegations suggest that around ₹98 crores were mismanaged across various municipalities, including Chennai and Coimbatore. Critics claim that the tender process favored select companies, bypassing established regulations.

The complaint originated from the Arapper Iyakkam group, which had previously filed a contempt petition against the DVAC. They accused the agency of failing to adhere to court orders that mandated the filing of cases against Velumani and others. The petition alleged that the DVAC was deliberately delaying action.

In September, the Madras High Court expressed dissatisfaction with the delays in the approval process for prosecuting the two IAS officers. The court instructed the central government to complete this process within two months.

During a recent hearing, Justice N. Anand Venkatesh reviewed the contempt petition. The Additional Solicitor General, A.R.L. Sundarajan, presented a document from the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), confirming that permission to prosecute Kandasamy and Kartikeyan had been granted.

Consequently, the judge directed the DVAC to initiate the process of filing the final report against the IAS officers in the special court. The court will continue to monitor developments in the case, with the next hearing scheduled for December 4.