The New Indian Express ·
Tamil Nadu CM Vijay alleges DMK leaders collected money in name of party funds
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday trained his guns on the DMK, invoking the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Sarkaria Commission report to revive allegations of corruption during the party’s previous stint in power.
Replying to the debate on the demands for grants for the Police and Fire and Rescue Services departments, Vijay said he would refrain from commenting on matters pending before courts or under investigation, but added that he had a responsibility to place ‘certain facts’ before the people.
He first referred to the Sarkaria Commission of Inquiry, constituted in 1976 to probe allegations against the then DMK government, and its examination of the Veeranam drinking water project. Citing the report, Vijay said allegations had been raised over the award of the contract for manufacture and supply of pipes to Satyanarayana Brothers for the project, valued at over Rs 16 crore. He said the report referred to an alleged demand for a 2.5% commission and payments totalling around Rs 29 lakh in several instalments between 1970 and 1974.
