Tamil Nadu: Ex-prisoners aid society’s property leased out to private firm for just Rs 30,000

CHENNAI: A nine-storeyed building constructed on 12 grounds of land in Teynampet owned by the TN Discharged Prisoners Aid Society is allegedly leased out for 45 years to a private company for a meagre amount of `30,000 per month.

The Madras High court, which was appalled over the information, has directed the society to provide details of the officials who fixed the lease amount. The court also threatened to summon the Home Secretary as well as the DGP if the details were not furnished.

Justice N Kirubakaran has also directed the Tamil Nadu Prison department to file a report with details of whether released prisoners in the State are being provided with the assistance as per the prison manual and whether they are tracked to verify that they are not resuming criminal activities.

A status report of the properties owned by the society also revealed that the lessee company had stopped paying rent from June, 2015. Till 2004, the property was rented out to the office of the DIG of Police, Chenglepet Range and thereafter, it was leased out to Quanta Engineers and Promoters Private Ltd for a period of 45 years.

“It is unimaginable that a property measuring 12 grounds with a 9-storey building in the heart of the city was leased out for a meagre sum of `10 lakh as advance for a period of 45 years. The rent of `30,000 per month is very negligible, that too, for a nine-storey building. Therefore, the DGP has to file a report on officials who had taken the decision to lease out the property in question, and the details of all directors of Quanta Engineers and Promoters and Real Value Technologies (present lessee),” the judge said.