Chennai: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has issued summons to State Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar and his aide Saravanan asking them to appear before its Anti-Corruption (III) Unit in the city in connection with the multi-crore gutkha scam.
According to sources, the investigation team has gathered evidences of various politicians and police officers involved in the scam.
Members of the Anti Corruption Unit in Delhi have set up an office in the city to investigate the case. They had previously issued two summon orders to Saravanan. However, he did not appear on both the occasions.
The third summon has called for him as well as Vijaya Baskar. Saravanan has been asked to present himself on Friday at 10 am.
As per reports, the move comes days after the CBI informed the Madras High Court that the possibility of implicating Ministers and top police officers in the State in the illegal gutkha sale case could not be ruled out.
The gutkha Scam dates back to June 2017. It relates to the alleged payment of bribes to the tune of Rs 39.91 crore to a State Minister, a few IPS officers and others, by a manufacturer of gutkha.
The bribes were allegedly paid for facilitating storage, transport and sale of the banned substance in the city.