The Madras High Court on Tuesday called for 79 documents, 33 compact discs and other related materials that were collected by the now defunct Justice Regupathi Commission of Inquiry constituted in 2011 to probe the alleged irregularities in the construction of a new Assembly-cum-Secretariat complex here during DMK regime between 2006 and 2011.
Justice R. Mahadevan asked State Public Prosecutor (SPP) A. Natarajan to submit the documents in a sealed cover by Friday along with all files connected to the materials having been transferred to Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruptionto find out if any cognisable offence had been made out to initiate criminal prosecution.
The order was passed on writ petitions filed by DMK president M.K. Stalin and treasurer Duraimurugan challenging a G.O. issued on September 24 ordering a DVAC inquiry into the issue since Mr. Justice Regupathi had demitted office on August 10 and the government had decided not to appoint any other retired judge to the commission.
Representing the petitioners, senior counsel P. Wilson recalled that the retired judge had demitted office after Justice S.M. Subramaniam of the High Court had ordered suspension of the Commission to avoid wasteful expenditure of public money. The judge also directed the Commission to hand over the materials collected by it to the government.
However, without scrutinising them, the government had directed the secretary to the Commission to submit the documents straightaway to DVAC, the senior counsel said, and contended that such an exercise was not in accordance with the HC’s directions.