Tender graft: Furnish inquiry report’s copy to Velumani, SC tells Madras HC 

By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Madras High Court to provide a duplicate of report of preliminary enquiry performed in opposition to S P Velumani over alleged corruption in awarding of tenders in firms throughout his tenure as Tamil Nadu minister for municipal administration, and requested the HC to eliminate the circumstances on advantage, uninfluenced by any remark made by it. 

“In our considered opinion, the HC has committed a patent error. Without considering the material before it, and by merely relying on the submissions made by the State, the HC has made sweeping observations which are prejudicial to the appellant,” the court docket mentioned.

“It was the HC which had ordered that a preliminary inquiry be conducted and a report be submitted by the special investigating officer. However, once the inquiry was completed, the HC failed to even peruse the report. Rather, the HC left the decision completely in the hands of the State government. Such an approach cannot be countenanced in law. When the State changed its stand, the HC neither provided the appellant an opportunity to defend himself, nor sought a reasoned justification from the State for having turned turtle,” the apex court docket mentioned. 

According to Velumani’s plea, a a PIL was filed earlier than the Madras High Court in 2018 for a route that an FIR be lodged and an investigation be performed referring to tenders awarded by municipal firms.  It was alleged that Velumani had misused his powers and the tenders have been awarded to his shut aides. The HC had directed an enquiry, although there was no offence made in opposition to him, he mentioned.