With the Madras High Court ordering a CBI probe into the contracts awarded by the Highways Department, a portfolio held by Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, the petitioner in the case, R.S. Bharathi, DMK organising secretary, says history will repeat itself as far as the recent cases of corruption filed by the DMK against AIADMK Ministers are concerned. As someone who was instrumental in filing the TANSI case against former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, Mr. Bharathi insists that the party has proof for its charges.
In an interview, he said: “In 1995, our leader Kalaignar [the late M. Karunanidhi] submitted a memorandum to the then Governor listing the corruption charges against Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and her Cabinet colleagues. But no action was taken. When we came to power in 1996, we set up special courts to try the cases. Eventually, Jayalalithaa and others were convicted even though they filed appeal after appeal.”
Excerpts:
You have been submitting petitions to the Governor and the Madras High Court seeking action against the Chief Minister and some of his Cabinet colleagues. Are these mere allegations or do you have evidence against them?
We have concrete documentary evidence for all the complaints. A team of lawyers is collecting them. We use them only when we are satisfied with them. As far as the Chief Minister is concerned, we filed complaints with evidence in connection with only four cases and it led to the High Court ordering a CBI probe. We have many more complaints and they include corrupt practices in other departments including the Public Works Department, which he handles.
We have 3,000 pages of evidence to support our complaint against Local Administration Minister S.P. Velumani in connection with corruption in the Coimbatore Corporation. Complaints are pouring in from all over the State. Similarly, we also have evidence against Electricity Minister P. Thangamani. There are other corruption charges against Health Minister C. Vijaya Baskar apart from the gutkha scam. There are irregularities in outsourcing of technicians for government hospitals, and we have solid evidence to support the case. We will produce all the documents if an inquiry commission is set up.
Former Minister C. Ponnaiyan said the DVAC might file an appeal against the Madras Court order directing CBI inquiry into contracts in the Highways Department …
Who is he to say that? He has no locus standi to make comments on the court order. He is not a Minister. Neither is he a public prosecutor or advocate general. It is for the DVAC director to decide on the issue.
You presented many petitions to the Governor. What was his response?
He promised that he would look into them and take action. But there was no follow-up. He is not acting on our complaints. We are closely watching the developments and immediately filed a caveat in the Supreme Court in the case in which the Madras High Court had ordered a CBI inquiry.
You should remember that in 1995 our leader submitted a memorandum to the Governor about corruption charges against Jayalalithaa and her Ministers. But nothing happened. When the DMK came to power, we set up the special court and it resulted in convictions.
Jayalalithaa, Sasikala and others were convicted in the disproportionate wealth case after 19 years. Former Ministers, including Sathyamurthy, T.M. Selvaganapathy [now in the DMK] and Ponnusamy, were convicted. History will repeat itself.
