Raising the issue of the recent I.T raids on a highway construction firm, DMK today petitioned Governor Banwarilal Purohit seeking a probe against Chief Minister K Palaniswami under the Prevention of Corruption Act over alleged unlawful award of contracts.
The ruling AIADMK has dismissed the charges as "baseless and unfounded."
Citing the recent income tax (I.T) searches over alleged tax evasion over Rs 160 crore by a highway construction firm, party working president M K Stalin, in a memorandum to Purohit, alleged that contracts running into crores of rupees have been awarded "unlawfully" to this firm and two other companies.
The DMK also claimed that these three firms were "controlled by persons who have close connections," with Palaniswami.
Stalin, citing a complaint filed with the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption by his party leader R S Barathi on June 13 seeking action against the chief minister on the issue, urged Purohit to take action against Palaniswami under the PCA on alleged unlawful award of contracts.
Stalin also alleged that ministers "are indulging in corruption in their respective portfolios in implementing various centrally sponsored schemes," and sought a probe by the CBI.
The party also said it would move the court if no action was taken by the governor in the matter.
"We are confident that governor Purohit would take action.
In case if he is hesitates or does not take appropriate action, we will approach the court and we have made this clear to him," Stalin, who is also the leader of the opposition, said.
DMK has been at loggerheads with Purohit over the latter's visits to districts, saying it was an interference in the state's rights.
Purohit assured them that the matter will be forwarded to the departments and officials concerned and the Union Home ministry as well, Stalin said.
AIADMK spokesperson R M Babu Murugavel said "these allegations are baseless and unfounded."
The DMK leader was "raking up such false allegations only to show his presence as the government has been scoring big successes in all matters including getting the Cauvery panel constituted," he told PTI.
The AIADMK spokesperson, who is a former MLA, also wondered as to why DMK should approach the governor on the same issue over which it had already preferred a complaint with the DVAC.
"These allegations are only an effort to be in the limelight and there is nothing in these allegations.
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