Madras HC issues notice to anti-corruption body on plea alleging graft by T Nagar MLA

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has issued a notice to the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption to file a detailed report on a plea alleging that the T Nagar MLA had misappropriated funds from the assembly constituency development fund.

The petition was filed by an activist, BR Aravindakshan, who alleged that B Sathyanarayanan, the sitting T Nagar MLA, with the connivance of Chennai Corporation officials committed criminal misappropriation of the assembly constituency development fund allotment of Rs 2 crore by diverting it to other infrastructure works.

According to the petitioner, the documents he accessed through the Right to Information Act stated that in 2017-18, the allotment through the Member of Legislative Assembly Constituency Development Scheme for the MLA was Rs 2 crore.

As per the government rules, the MLA was allotted funds for carrying out "water supply works" for the year on account of the deficit rainfall that was recorded in the state. In the allocation, Rs 1.01 crore was to be utilised for the water supply works.

However, the MLA in 2017-18 allotted funds to a tune of Rs 1.39 crores for the development of 22 roads in the locality. In all, 35 projects were carried out during the year but 31 of them involved only road infrastructure mounting to a total of Rs 2.2 crores.

"Even in the recommendation letter dated January 11, 2018, the commissioner of Chennai corporation has put a note that all works in Zone-10 have to follow the guidelines of 2017-18," he stressed.

The petitioner sought that the court direct the DVAC to probe the allegations made.

Justice V Bhavani Subbaroyan adjourned the plea for two weeks.