DVAC Interrogates Former Highway Minister EV Velu in ₹3.23 Crore Fraud Case

Chennai, July 15 – The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti‑Corruption (DVAC) summoned former Tamil Nadu highway minister and DMK legislator E.V. Velu on Wednesday for questioning in connection with a purported ₹3.23 crore irregularity during the last DMK government. The case centres on a Karur‑district road project for which the government allegedly approved funding without ever completing the work, prompting accusations of false claims. DVAC has lodged a complaint naming Velu, nine senior engineers from the highways department and another official, bringing the total accused count to eleven. This investigation is a key component of a broader audit of questionable road‑building contracts awarded by the previous administration. Investigators suspect that dummy records and counterfeit paperwork were employed to siphon money for jobs that were either partially done or never started. On June 25, anti‑corruption officers carried out raids at about twenty sites linked to the accused, including Velu’s Alwarpet residence, confiscating numerous documents believed to be tied to the alleged fraud. Those items are now being examined to assess the financial loss and the involvement of each accused. Velu had previously missed a July 3 appearance, stating that he was receiving treatment at a Singapore hospital. After the Madras High Court granted temporary relief, the court ordered him to fully cooperate with the inquiry and appear before DVAC on July 15. In compliance, Velu arrived at the DVAC office in Chennai on Tuesday, where officials interrogated him regarding the project's execution, the approval process for expenditures, and the documents seized during the raids. The anti‑corruption drive remains active, with further measures contingent upon the outcomes of the interrogation and the forensic review of the collected evidence.