Chennai, Aug 19:
Sleuths of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on Wednesday conducted searches at 51 locations across Tamil Nadu in connection with alleged irregularities in the procurement of aluminium conductors by the Electricity Board during the previous regime.
The searches are understood to be part of an investigation into alleged financial irregularities in multiple conductor procurement tenders. Officials were examining documents and other records relating to the procurement process at the locations covered by the searches.
The exact details of the suspects involved and the extent of the financial loss to the exchequer were not immediately available.
The searches assume significance in the wake of the Tamil Nadu government’s allegations of large-scale irregularities in conductor procurement during the previous DMK regime.
Energy Minister R Nirmalkumar had, on June 25, while releasing the TNEB White Paper, alleged that the government had detected irregularities worth around Rs 1,028 crore in nine conductor procurement tenders floated during the previous government.
The minister had said the government was examining the alleged irregularities and that appropriate action would be taken based on the findings.
The latest DVAC searches indicate that the allegations are now being subjected to a detailed vigilance investigation. The agency is expected to scrutinise tender documents, procurement records, quotations, payments and other related transactions to establish whether there were violations of rules or financial misconduct.
Officials are likely to question individuals connected with the procurement process based on the evidence gathered during the searches.
The searches were conducted at multiple locations simultaneously as part of the ongoing probe. Further details, including the names of those under investigation and the outcome of the searches, are expected to emerge after the completion of the operation.