The State government has decided to file a criminal defamation case against DMK president M.K. Stalin for having reportedly accused Municipal Administration and Rural Development Minister S. P. Velumani of having indulged in corruption to the tune of ₹1,000 crore by using manufactured sand (M-sand) instead of river sand for civil construction projects undertaken by Greater Chennai Corporation.
A Government Order has been issued by the Public department granting sanction to the City Public Prosecutor to lodge a complaint against the DMK supremo for the offence under Section 499 (criminal defamation) of Indian Penal Code.
The GO states that he had made the alleged defamatory statements against the Minister on December 13 and they were published in the DMK organ
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He also reportedly said that government officials as well as the Police department knew well that Mr. Velumani, who had turned municipal administration into a corrupt administration, was very close aide of Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami.
“That was the reason all complaints against him (Mr. Velumani) were not being proceeded with and the government officials too were indulging in collection of bribe money at his behest. This is highly condemnable. The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption should take expeditious steps to investigate the ₹ 1,000 crore corruption charge and prosecute the Minister as well as IAS officers who were aiding him,” the Leader of the Opposition reportedly said.
After referring to the contentious statement, the GO stated: “On a perusal of the statement, it contains imputations which are per se defamatory against the honourable Minister for Municipal Administration, Rural Development and Implementation of Special Programme in respect of his conduct in discharge of his public functions.”
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The defamatory statement, the GO added, is not only devoid of truth and good faith, but it has been intentionally made against the interest of public good.