6 months ago
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The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption has unearthed substandard enactment successful the execution of highways projects causing immense fiscal losses to the State exchequer. After the Tamil Nadu authorities declined to accord support to registry a lawsuit against the highways officials, contempt prima facie grounds against them, the investigating bureau booked contractors and a retired authoritative successful the case.
The DVAC has conducted a elaborate enquiry into allegations of superior irregularities successful the execution of roadworthy betterment and strengthening works successful Thanjavur, Sivaganga and Coimbatore.
During the people of investigation, officials conducted ace cheque and prime cheque astatine the enactment sites by taking halfway samples. Shortfalls were detected successful the measurements taken from the tract arsenic compared to those recorded successful the measurement books. Payments were made to officials to boost the entries successful authoritative records.
The Special Investigation Cell of the DVAC successful its FIR said that contractor M/s R.R. Infra Construction, Madurai, incurred a nonaccomplishment of ₹1.65 crore to the State authorities by executing sub-standard enactment successful Orathanadu and Thanjavur sub-divisions.
Another contractor M/s JSV Infra incurred ₹8.5 crore nonaccomplishment to the exchequer by executing sub-standard enactment successful Peravurani and Pattukottai sub-divisions. In the roadworthy works done successful Thiruvaiyaru, Papanasam, Kumbakonam and Thiruvidaimarudhur sub-divisions of Thanjavur District, contractor M/s KCP Infra Ltd caused a nonaccomplishment of ₹2.62 crore to the authorities by executing mediocre prime of work.
In Sivaganga district, investigators said prime checks revealed that contractor M/s S.P.K & Co had caused losses to the tune of ₹7.73 crore to the authorities by executing sub-standard work. In Coimbatore arsenic well, a nonaccomplishment of ₹25.54 lakh was caused to the authorities by contractor M/s R.R. Infra Construction.
The DVAC said the evidences gathered during the probe intelligibly revealed that betwixt November 2018 and July 2023, Highways officials progressive successful the task had entered into a transgression conspiracy with the contractors and committed transgression misconduct by abusing their authoritative presumption and misappropriated authorities money. They besides utilized falsified documents arsenic genuine, the FIR said.
Though determination was prima facie worldly grounds to instrumentality enactment against the Highways engineers and contractors, the Highways and Minor Ports Department successful its missive dated 06/06/2025 “denied to accord anterior support for each Highways officials.” The bureau went connected to publication a lawsuit against the past Executive Engineer, S. Jagadeesan, present retired from service, and different contractors accused successful the case.
Permission to prosecute denied
Prior support u/s 17A of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 arsenic amended successful 2018 was requested against officials of Highways Department and Tr.S. Jegadeesan, Executive Engineer (Retired), Thanjavur Municipal Corporation for registering a regular case. The authorities denied to accord anterior support for each Highways officials.
During the people of investigation, if caller grounds emerged against the Highways Department Officials, due support would beryllium obtained from the competent authorization to see them arsenic accused successful the case, the DVAC said.
