HC directs DVAC to expedite complaint against Karunanidhi

The Madras High Court today directed the Director of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Wing to expedite the inquiry into the complaint made against former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi who was Chairman of World Tamil Classical conference (Semmozhi Maanadu) at Coimbatore in 2010.
Justice R Mala, acting on a criminal original petition filed by advocate B Ramesh Babu, directed the authorities to expedite the inquiry and register a case if any cognizable offence was made out on his March 8, 2013 complaint.
Ramesh, in his complaint to the Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau, alleged the then state government headed by Karunanidhi had incurred losses of several crores of Rupees by holding the conference.

He also alleged a government press release issued after the conference had stated that Rs 301 crore was spent for it. When he sought information through RTI, the Principal Accountant General stated that Rs 151.22 crore has been booked against sub-heads of account, whereas the Tamil Department had stated that Rs 262.63 crore was the total amount spent.
Alleging a contradiction between statements of various departments, he said the above statements made it evident that several crores of Rupees had been intentionally cheated and misappropriated under the guise of the Classical Conference.
He also alleged Karunanidhi, along with committee members, his son M K Stalin, daughter Kanimozhi and K Anbalagan, was jointly and severally liable along with the officials who implemented the alleged criminal act of misusing the office.

The petitioner said since there was a difference of Rs 200 crore between the Audit Report and of government, he had filed a complaint with V&AC to go into it, for which there had been no response. So, he was constrained to file the petition.
When the matter came up before Justice R Mala, Public Prosecutor Shanmuga Velayudham submitted the government has referred the complaint to the Director of Vigilance and Anti Corruption and a detailed inquiry was being held.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Mohammad Iqbal of V&AC has been appointed the inquiry officer, he submitted.