SC Dismisses Plea Seeking Fresh Probe Against Former TN CM Palaniswami In Highway Tender Scam

12/8/2023 8:15:21 AM

(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Dec 8 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a plea filed by Tamil Nadu's Director of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) seeking a fresh probe against former Chief Minister K. Palaniswami in connection with an alleged highway tender scam.

A bench of Justices Bela M. Trivedi and S.C. Sharma said that it will not interfere with the Madras High Court order refusing to initiate a fresh probe against Palaniswami.

Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, who appeared on behalf of the DVAC, urged that the apex court must at least allow investigation into alleged charges of corruption levelled against the former CM.

At this, the bench told Dave: "You may do whatever is permissible within the four corners of law. We are neither allowing anything nor stopping you."

The Tamil Nadu DVAC has filed the special leave petition against the decision of the Madras High Court closing the petition filed by DMK leader R.S. Bharathi, which alleged that the AIADMK General Secretary, when he was Chief Minister, had awarded contracts in the Highway Department based on favouritism resulting in heavy losses to the exchequer.

On July 18, a bench of Justice N. Anand Venkatesh of the High Court observed that there was no infirmity in the preliminary investigation conducted by the DVAC in 2018 and dismissed the petition saying that no further investigation was required after a change in regime.

Earlier in 2022, the Supreme Court had set aside a decision of the Madras High Court ordering a CBI probe into the alleged Rs 4,800 crore corruption case.

--IANS

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