Chennai, Apr 29:
The Madras High Court has ordered a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into an alleged ₹397 crore transformer procurement scam linked to former minister V Senthil Balaji.
The court directed the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption to transfer all case records to the CBI and called for a fresh (de novo) investigation. It emphasised the need for an independent probe to ensure transparency and accountability in the matter.
The case relates to alleged irregularities in transformer procurement tenders between 2021 and 2023, including claims of inflated pricing, cartelisation, and procedural violations that reportedly caused significant financial loss to the state exchequer.
The High Court observed that the seriousness of the allegations warranted a central agency probe and directed all concerned state departments and power utilities to extend full cooperation to the CBI during the investigation.
The order comes amid heightened scrutiny over public procurement processes, with the court underscoring the importance of maintaining integrity in large-scale government contracts.
The CBI is expected to register a fresh FIR, examine tender procedures, financial transactions, and the role of officials and private entities involved, as part of its comprehensive investigation.