: PMK founder S. Ramadoss on Monday demanded a CBI probe into alleged corruption charges against former Chief Secretary P. Rama Mohana Rao and some IPS officers who were involved in corruption. Besides, the agency must investigate the alleged sand mining scam, which is estimated to run to the tune of Rs. 4.75 lakh crore.
In a statement, he said that the raids at the office and house of Mr. Rao and his alleged associates were all linked to illegal sand mining. “Similarly, it has come to light that IPS officers have taken bribes to allow the sale of banned tobacco products in Chennai,” he alleged. The PMK leader charged that Mr. Rao has admitted himself in the hospital just to bide time and plan his next move after income-tax officials unearthed various documents, cash and gold.
Though sand mining was nationalised in 2003, Mr. Ramadoss said the contracts to mine the sand and transport it for sale were awarded to private parties. “Private companies flout rules and mine sand using heavy equipment and sell it for extraordinary profits. Sand mining was nationalised so that ruling party politicians can make money through it,” he said.
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He pointed out that high-value government contracts worth Rs. 360 crore for security in government hospitals in Tamil Nadu was given to a company, allegedly owned by those close to Mr. Rao’s son Vivek. “While the earlier contract was supposed to end this December, Mr. Rao, fearing that there could be a change in government, had managed to get a new contract for the company run by his son Vivek and his friend,” he charged.
According to him, sand quarry administration and sale should be retrieved from private players and taken over by the PWD. He said that Tamil Nadu’s progress can only be ensured by stamping out corruption. “Contracts awarded to benami companies of Rao must be annulled. And, illegal sand mining in the last 13 years has to be investigated,” said Mr. Ramadoss.