The Central Cyber Crime Cell of the Chennai police has filed a case against Arappor Iyakkam convenor Jayaram Venkatesan, following a complaint from superintending engineer, Greater Chennai Corporation.
The first information report (FIR) was filed against Mr. Venkatesan for the release of a video on the alleged corruption in the use of m-sand for Corporation works. In the last one year, six FIRs, one criminal defamation case and 15 civil defamation cases have been filed against Arappor Iyakkam.
Condemning the filing of the FIRs, Mr. Venkatesan said: “It is to threaten and restrain us from talking against corruption of the Chennai Corporation.”
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It may be recalled that Arappor Iyakkam had alleged that the Corporation was paying contractors the same rate for m-sand as river sand, though the former costs less. This had caused a loss of ₹1,000 crore to the exchequer since 2017, it alleged.
According to Mr. Venkatesan, the FIR copy was not shown to him when he appeared before the Cyber Crime Cell on Thursday morning. He was only informed that the FIR was based on a complaint by Corporation superintending engineer Sakthi Manikandan. However, details of the complaint were not revealed. The FIR was filed under Sections 153, 505 (1) (b) and 505 (2). They pertained to intent to create public alarm and riots, he said.
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In a press release issued on Thursday, Mr. Venkatesan said the details of the scam were explained to the police, and it was clear that the FIR was filed to silence the NGO. “The FIR is an attack on our freedom of speech and expression, and a move to stifle democratic voice that intends to talk against injustice and corruption,” he said. No action has been taken against Corporation officials or the Minister for Municipal Administration, S.P. Velumani, he added.
He pointed out that it was gross misuse of power by the Corporation.