The accused J Thirugnanam was employed as Zonal Assistant Director of Town Panchayats, Salem Zone when the suspected crime happened. He had later worked in Vellore zone and was not allowed to retire from service on superannuation in February this year.

Second accused J Nagarajan was employed as Selection Grade Executive Officer (Admin) in the office of the Assistant Director of TownPanchayats, Salem Zone from 2014 to 2018 and was transferred to Dharmapuri Zone and was not allowed to retire from service on superannuation on January 31 last year. Third accused R Ranjithkumar was employed as Junior Assistant in the same office and is now working in the office of the Executive Officer, Ayothiyapattinam Town Panchayat, Salem. Fourth suspect VLR Gopinath is a proprietor of Maruthi & Co in Salem.

As per the criminal conspiracy, to purchase Pyrethrum 2% extract, Fenthion 82.5% EC and Abet 50% EC, the accused officials fabricated false records as Gopinath was authorised dealer of Nitapol Industries, 

Kolkatta, which was nominated by the TNMSC for the supply of these insecticides. During the investigation, the records revealed that all the four suspects hatched a criminal conspiracy, to make illegal gains by misappropriating the government fund by fabricating records and using those records as genuine thereby cheating the government and causing wrongful loss to the government to the tune of Rs 2.9 crore, the DVAC FIR said.