Chennai: The complainant R Thiruvengadam of Ganapathy in Coimbatore has stated he knew SP Velumani from 2002 and the latter promised to assign him civil contract on the payment of ‘advance’ as commission in the year 2016. Believing him, Thiruvengadam allegedly paid Rs 1 crore to the minister at his official residence on Greenways Road in March, 2016 and another Rs 20 lakh in July, apart from Rs 5 lakh which was paid to the minister’s personal assistant. However, Thiruvengadam did not get any contracts and was made to run from pillar to post when he demanded his money back he was threatened.