DVAC charges former DMK minister EV Vela in ‘corruption’ case; launches raids in Tamil Nadu

EV value. File | Photo credit: C. Venkatachalapathy

In the first major crackdown after the TVK came to power, the Directorate for Vigilance and Combating Corruption (DVAC) launched simultaneous searches at the premises of former State Roads Minister EV Velu, officials and contractors in connection with an alleged corruption case.

Pursuant to a 2022 complaint filed by Jayaram Venkatesan of Arappor Iyakkam, an anti-corruption NGO in Tamil Nadu, the agency booked Mr Vela, several Roads Department officials and a highway contractor on charges of criminal conspiracy, forgery and cheating, invoking provisions under the Prevention of Corruption Act198. permit June 23, 2026.

What are the charges?

The allegation is that in March 2022, several crores of rupees were paid to contractors in various divisions of the state highways department for work that had not been done till then. This was done thanks to collusion between state highway department officials and a select group of highway contractors. The complainant alleged widespread corruption and mismanagement of funds allocated under a comprehensive road infrastructure development programme.

In Tiruppur circle, out of the sanctioned amount of ₹ 4.19 crore for road widening and improvement, ₹ 3.23 crore was disbursed without any work actually being done. Four officials were suspended after former AIADMK minister MRVijayabhaskar filed a complaint on 5 April 2022. The action is said to have been taken on the basis of a report by the Chief Engineer that the payment was made without laying the road.

Instead of pursuing criminal proceedings for the offence, Mr. Venkatesan claimed that a battalion of police officers was brought in as a bandobast for contractors to lay the roads on the night of April 8, 2022. “Karur police, instead of acting on the criminals, allegedly provided security to them to lay the roads without any disturbance. This is a blatant attempt to wipe out the official crimes of the state department to wipe out or wipe out the evidence. Sankaranand Infra in terms of defrauding the exchequer,” the complainant said.

Arappor Iyakkam pointed to similar crimes in other parts of the state and provided evidence to prove the same. The NGO demanded that a case be registered against all the concerned persons under the relevant provisions of the law and appropriate action be taken.

In its FIR, the DVAC said that prima facie materials in the petition revealed that the accused persons had entered into a criminal conspiracy with the mala fide intention of defrauding the government.

Apart from Mr. Vela, the agency appointed nine officials of the highways department who were working in Karur, Coimbatore, Tiruchi and Chennai, and Sankaran Infra, the highways contractor. The premises of the accused persons were searched initially in Karur, Erode and Kancheepuram districts.

Vela will prove his innocence: Stalin

DMK president and former chief minister MK Stalin said Mr. Velu would extend full cooperation to the DVAC raid, adding that the allegations were never proved in the single case filed out of political vendetta.

In a post on X, he said: “Mr. EV Velu extends his full cooperation to the raid led by DVAC. He will face it legally and prove his innocence in court. History shows that when he was driven by political vendetta, not a single allegation of corruption during the DMK regime has been proven in any case so far. DMK is not seen by these ruling parties as a much bigger threat than oppression. We will face that too and emerge victorious.”

Published – 25 Jun 2026 11:08 IST