Trouble is brewing for Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam. The Madras High Court on Tuesday slammed the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) for failing to take any action on the complaint filed against him. The case has been adjourned to July 23, Monday, as the additional advocate general sought time to offer an explanation.
The Madras High Court was hearing the petition filed by DMK’s organising secretary R.S. Bharathi. Taking cognizance of the DVAC’s failure to register a case against Panneerselvam, on a specific complaint filed by Bharathi in March this year, Judge G. Jayachandran asked why DVAC had taken no action for three months on the complaint. “Why cannot the CBI take over the case and investigate as the DVAC has made no progress in the case,” asked the judge.
Additional Advocate General Mani Shankar informed the court that they were awaiting DVAC’s explanation on the matter. He requested the court to give more time to submit the government’s response on the issue. Taking note of this, Judge Jayachandran said it doesn’t make sense to allow more time as the DVAC has already taken three months without taking any action. The Judge then gave the Tamil Nadu government time till Monday to file a response on the action taken by the DVAC on the complaint.
THE WEEK had first exposed O. Panneerselvam and the disproportionate assets of his family. THE WEEK, in its December 17, 2018 issue, had brought out in detail the rise of OPS, from Pechimuthu to Panneerselvam, the assets amassed by him and his family members.
Following THE WEEK’s expose, the DMK filed a complaint with the state’s anti-corruption body. In his complaint, the DMK MP and organising secretary Bharathi alleged that OPS has acquired huge amounts of wealth in his name, in the name of his family members and benamis even as he rose from a mere party worker to an MLA, minister and then the chief minister.
With the DVAC taking no action on the complaint, Bharathi approached the Madras High Court on Tuesday. The petition filed against the DVAC came up for hearing before Judge Jayachandran. In his petition, Bharathi said “Panneerselvam has gained unlawfully and has amassed wealth and invested the same in companies and properties either in his name or in the name of his benamies. He amassed wealth abusing power. He has made false declarations before the Income Tax authorities and before the election officials.” The petition also gave details on the various assets owned by OPS and his family and his benamis. “The 99 acres of land valued at more than Rs 140 crore, which was leased to Bojarajan Mills in Theni was purchased by the benamis of OPS. A mango grove of 150 acres of wetland situated in Shenbaga Thoppu, Srivilliputhur is being owned by his benamis. He controls the cardamom markets through his benamies in Bodinayakkanur by abusing his official position,” said the petition filed in the High Court.
The petition further noted the link between OPS and sand mining baron Sekar Reddy. THE WEEK first exposed the links saying OPS received illegal gratification from J. Sekar Reddy. “A direct link connecting OPS with illegal gratification for official favours was furnished by the diary maintained by J. Sekar Reddy, partner of the SRS Mining Company. According to the entries made in the diary, OPS and his associates received almost Rs 4 crore in just six months (June—November 2016).” The petition also stated that his family members, including his wife P. Vijayalakshmi, sons O.P. Raveeendranath Kumar and V.P. Jayapradeeep and daughter Kavtih Bhanu have undisclosed sources of income. The petition also reveled the business dealings of OPS’s sons in various other countries.
It may be recalled that OPS revolted after the death of Jayalalithaa, saying he cannot work under the corrupt V.K. Sasikala and Mannargudi clan and launched his famous Dhaarma Yudh. It all began with his 40-minute meditation at the beachside grave of his mentor-leader Jayalalithaa. He said his Dharma Yudh was to win over corruption and probe the mysterious death of Jayalalithaa. OPS won his Dharma Yudh and later merged his faction with EPS, the incumbent chief minister and was sworn in as the deputy chief minister. It may be noted that OPS holds some of the lucrative portfolios in the EPS’s cabinet—finance, planning, legislative assembly, elections and passports, housing, rural housing and housing development, slum clearance board and accommodation control, town planning, urban development and Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA).