DVAC conducts raids at 52 places linked to former Minister SP Velumani

Officials from the directorate of Vigilance and Anti-corruption corruption started raiding 52 places linked to former Minister SP Velumani on Tuesday morning.

DVAC conducted searches 52 premises in Chennai, Kancheepuram & Coimbatore in connection with a graft case against former AIADMK Minister of Local Administration SP Velumani.

It has to be recalled that DVAC had recently raided former AIADMK minister MR Vijayabhaskar too.

The raids are being conducted after a 51-year-old man from Coimbatore submitted a petition at the city police Commissionerate on monday claiming that former AIADMK minister SP Velumani cheated him of Rs 1.25 crore on the promise of assigning civil contracts to him.

The complainant R Thiruvengadam of Ganapathy in Coimbatore has stated he knew SP Velumani from 2002 and the latter promised to assign him civil contract on the payment of ‘advance’ as commission in the year 2016.

Believing him, Thiruvengadam allegedly paid Rs 1 crore to the minister at his official residence on Greenways Road in March, 2016 and another Rs 20 lakh in July, apart from Rs 5 lakh which was paid to the minister’s personal assistant. However, Thiruvengadam did not get any contracts and was made to run from pillar to post when he demanded his money back he was threatened.