New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday declined to entertain a plea filed by the Director of Vigilance and Corruption (DVAC), Tamil Nadu, against a Madras High Court order that declined a fresh preliminary inquiry against former chief minister Edappadi Palaniswami in connection with an alleged highway tender scam.
Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, representing DVAC, before a bench comprising justices Bela M Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma vehemently opposed the High Court's observations against an inquiry into Palaniswami's involvement in the alleged highway scam, and argued that there cannot be any objection to the law taking its course.
Dave contended that an inquiry may, if justified, be ordered by a subsequent government and the change of the government is no ground, we are entitled to investigate. He submitted that the apex court had held that an investigation must take place and it cannot be interdicted. However, the bench expressed its disinclination to interfere with the high court order.
Dave stressed that this is a serious case of corruption and your lordships must allow DVAC to at least investigate. Dave pointed out that the preliminary investigation was made when Palaniswami was in charge of the public works department and the police, besides being the chief minister of the state.
The bench told Dave, whatever is usually permissible within the four corners of the law, you may do. The bench said that no one was stopping Dave and “we are neither allowing anything nor stopping you”. Dave said that the high court's observations will come in the way and the aspect of political rivalry should not come in the way of an investigation if the use of the power is for a legitimate object.
Dave stressed that this matter will require detailed examination and it is a very serious matter. However, the bench was not convinced and dismissed the appeal filed by DVAC. The apex court was hearing a plea DVAC against the high court's decision to dismiss a plea seeking an investigation into the role of the former chief minister in the alleged scam.
Palaniswami, the general secretary of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), served as the CM between 2017 and 2021. It has been alleged that he awarded contracts in the highway department based on favouritism during his tenure as the CM. An earlier inquiry conducted by the DVAC cleared him of suspicion. Recently, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government ordered a fresh inquiry.
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