The Madras High Court on Friday directed the Rural Development Secretary to conduct an audit regarding allegations of Omalur Panchayat Union in Salem district having purchased disinfectants, face masks & hand gloves at inflated prices between March 2020 and May 2021.
First Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice P.D. Audikesavalu passed the order while disposing of a public interest litigation petition filed by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) member K. Sivagnanavel of Omalur.
The judges directed the petitioner to deposit Rs.25,000 and stated that it should be forfeited if his complaint was found to be frivolous. Otherwise, appropriate action should be initiated against those responsible for having indulged in corrupt practices.
In his affidavit, the litigant claimed that the Panchayat Union had spent Rs. 11.55 lakh to purchase disinfectants at the rate of Rs.280 per litre, face masks at the cost of Rs. 220 per mask and gloves at the rate of Rs. 180 per pair. He said the market rate of these were much less.
The petitioner also claimed that the chairman of the Panchayat Union had not used the purchased products for public purpose and instead distributed them to his partymen for their personal use.
