Hearing on corruption charges against SP Velumani after polls

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday refused to hear cases of corruption allegedly involving Minister SP Velumani stating that it may not be appropriate to hear them when elections are round the corner. The hearing has been adjourned to June. Arappor Iyakkam and the DMK had filed PILs against the minister alleging irregularities in allotment of tenders in Chennai and Coimbatore Corporations.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing the Minister, submitted before the first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy, that since elections are nearing, pendency of this matter will create adverse impact, and the petitioners will take political advantage of the same.

Representing the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC), State public prosecutor A Natarajan submitted that the DVAC after preliminary enquiry came to a conclusion that no case was made out against the minister. “Taking note of DVAC police findings, the State government had also dropped the proceedings but only to take advantage of the pendency of this matter and for political gains, the petitioner is seeking time,” he added.