Chennai: The High Court has granted the Anti-Corruption Department permission to conduct a further investigation in the case registered against former minister Vaithilingam, alleging that he received a bribe of Rs. 28 crore to illegally grant planning permission for the construction of apartment complexes by a private company in Perungalathur.
Vaithilingam, who served as the Housing Minister during the 2011-16 AIADMK regime, is alleged to have granted planning permission in violation of rules for Shriram Properties to build apartment complexes in a hill-adjacent area in Perungalathur, and
A complaint was filed with the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption in 2022 on behalf of the Arappor Iyakkam, alleging that Rs. 28 crore had been received as a bribe for this. Based on this complaint, the anti-corruption police registered a case in September 2024, two years later, during the DMK regime.
This case had been pending before the Principal Sessions Court in Chennai. Meanwhile, Vaithilingam joined the DMK in January this year.
Subsequently, in this case, a report was filed in court by the Anti-Corruption Department during the previous DMK regime, stating that there was not enough evidence against Vaithilingam and closing the case.
In this situation, with a change of government in Tamil Nadu under the leadership of TVK, a petition was filed by the Anti-Corruption Department seeking permission to withdraw the report that had been filed closing the case against Vaithilingam and to conduct a further investigation in this case.
The hearing on this petition took place before Judge S. Karthikeyan at the Chennai Principal Sessions Court. After hearing the case, the judge ordered the Anti-Corruption Department to conduct a further inquiry in the case against former minister Vaithilingam. In addition, the judge has ordered that the investigation in this case be completed within 3 months and the final report be filed.
