Chennai: The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-corruption (DVAC) today carried out raids at multiple places in the city in connection with the walkie-talkie scam in the police department. A total of 13 teams carried out raids at around 100 different places simultaneously.
While one team conducted searches at the residence of Superintendent of Police (SP), Technical Services, Anbuchezhian in Kilpauk, another team surveyed the house of an Assistant Deputy Superintendent of Police (ADSP) in the Police Quarters in Mandaveli.
Searches took place at 40 places connected to a company which took the tender for the electronic devices. DVAC is probing the irregularities in the tender process for the purchase of cameras, CCTVs and Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) for the police department.
The scam reportedly took place from 2017 to 2018, and money to the tune of crores of rupees meant for modernisation of the police department was allegedly misused. In the past, Home Secretary Niranjan Mardi raised 11 queries to the then DGP T K Rajendran on the tender granted to a firm for Rs 83.45 crore for purchase of walkie-talkies.
It is said, as per the scheme, 10,000 walkie-talkies were to be purchased and the amount allotted for it by the State was only Rs 47.56 crore.
But, the company which quoted Rs 83.45 crores was allotted the tender. The difference of Rs 35.89 crore in the purchase was questioned, reports said.
The Technical Services wing falls under the Office of the DGP. As per rules, the price quoted during the tender should be inclusive of the GST. But a separate sanction of Rs 5 crore was given for GST a year after the tender was approved, sources said.
It is alleged that the base price of the items was several times costlier than market price and no price negotiations were done. The equipment does not work underground Metro Rail stretches. The tender committee specifically requested for the service, reports said.