CHENNAI: A month after alleging a Rs 3,000 crore scam by Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco), citizen group Arappor Iyakkam held a protest on Sunday to demand the formation of a special investigative team (SIT) to probe the irregularities. `Arappor Iyakkam stated that Tangedco might have paid an extra amount ranging between 1,700 crore and 3,025 crore to suppliers for around 25 million tonnes of coal imported from Indonesia from 2012-2016.
Nearly 500 people took part in the protest organised by Arappor Iyakkam at Valluvar Kottam. Police had denied permission to the protest, but Arappor Iyakkam filed a petition in the Madras high court and got permission to organise the protest.
Former Tamil Nadu Electricity and Regulatory Commission member, S Nagalsamy also took part in the protest.
Arappor Iyakkam called for the arrest of former electricity minister, Natham Viswanathan and bureaucrats including Gnanadesikan and Saikumar for their alleged involvement in the scam.
The protesters also demanded that Adani Global and other firms, if found involved in the scam, be blacklisted. Appealing for transparency, the protesters demanded that all data including tender, purchase order, comparative statement (with market price) be made available online.
The details of over-invoicing of imported coal had come two days after the CBI (Delhi) filed an FIR against public sector companies NTPC, MMTC, Aravalli Power Company Pvt Ltd and Ahmed AR Buhari, the promoter of Chennai-based Coastal Energy Pvt Ltd.