Classical Tamil conference of 2010: Karunanidhi now faces vigilance probe
A Subramani, TNN | Sep 16, 2013, 11.10 PM ISTCHENNAI: The Madras high court has ordered vigilance probe into a complaint, which alleged that former chief minister M Karunanidhi had misappropriated funds meant for the classical Tamil conference held in Coimbatore in June 2010.
Justice R Mala, before whom the direction petition of advocate B Ramesh Babu, came up for hearing on Tuesday, said expeditious inquiry should be conducted into the allegation, and that a case should be registered if commission of any cognizable offence is made out.
According to Ramesh Babu, while the then chief minister Karunanidhi claimed that a total of Rs 380 crore was spent on the conference, a later press release claimed that Rs 301 crore had been spent on the meet. Information obtained under the Right to Information Act revealed that only Rs 151.22 crore had been spent on various counts. Another RTI plea to the Tamil Development Department revealed that Rs 262.63 crore was spent on the meet.
Ramesh Babu claimed that Karunanidhi and his associates, including his daughter Kanimozhi, had misappropriated more than Rs 200 crore, and wanted vigilance inquiry into the allegations.
When the matter was taken up for hearing, state public prosecutor S Shanmugavelayutham said the government had forwarded the complaint to the DVAC for a detailed inquiry. The agency has already appointed Mohammed Ismail, deputy superintendent of police, to hold inquiry and submit a report, he said. The DSP has already commenced his inquiry, Shanmugavelayutham told the court.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Classical-Tamil-conference-of-2010-Karunanidhi-now-faces-vigilance-probe/articleshow/22635791.cms