The Madras High Court has directed former DMK minister and Tiruvannamalai MLA E.V. Velu to appear before the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on July 15 in connection with a case alleging a ₹3.23-crore fraud involving road works.
The case stems from allegations that during a previous DMK regime, road work in Karur was shown as executed without actually laying the road, leading to a loss of ₹3.23 crore. DVAC has registered a case against Velu and 10 others, including nine Highways Department engineers.
As part of the probe, DVAC conducted searches on June 25 at 20 locations, including Velu’s residence in Alwarpet, Chennai, and seized documents described as important to the investigation.
DVAC had earlier summoned Velu to appear in person on July 3. He did not appear, citing ill health and stating that he had been admitted to a hospital in Singapore for treatment, and sought exemption from personal appearance. Following this, DVAC issued a lookout notice.
Hearing Velu’s petition seeking to quash the case and cancel the lookout notice, the High Court stayed the lookout notice on the condition that he appears for inquiry on July 15. The court also directed DVAC officials to file their response to the plea seeking quashing of the case by July 27.
