Officials of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on Tuesday raided former health minister C. Vijayabhaskar’s residence in Ilupur and 12 other places in the state in connection with a corruption case.
The case pertains to irregularities in the issuance of inevitability certificates to Wales Medical College and Hospital in 2020 against the rules of the National Medical Commission.
After the First Information Report was registered, a seven-member DVAC team started searches at Mr. Vijayabhaskar’s house in Ilupur at around 6:30 am. Police sources said Mr. Vijayabhaskar was not present at the house at the time of the search. Searches are being conducted in Chennai, Salem, Madurai, Theni and Tiruvallur.
The DVAC had conducted simultaneous searches at Mr Vijayabhaskar’s residences in Pudukottai district and other places in the state in October last year after registering a case of disproportionate assets against him and his wife.
DVAC raids former minister SP Velumani’s residence in Coimbatore
The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption on Tuesday conducted searches at the residence of former Municipal Administration Minister SP Velumani (AIADMK) and other places in Coimbatore for alleged involvement in the allotment of tenders to his close associates for the purchase of street lights. The agency is searching their premises for the third time in the last one year.
The agency alleged that the former minister misused his official position in tendering for replacement of street lights with LED lights in rural areas from 2015 to 2018. The tender allotment has resulted in a loss of ₹500 crore to the exchequer, the release said.
Searches are underway at 10 places in the state, including nine in Coimbatore.