TN: Vigilance raids premises of Karuna's security officers

Vigilance officials on Friday premises of three security officers of Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam president M Karunanidhi here over allegations that they had caused

"losses" to the Tamil Nadu Housing Board in land allotment under the discretionary quota method.

The residential premises of Pandian, a deputy superintendent of police and inspectors Vinothan and Ganesan and some persons associated with them were searched, a release from Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption said.

The trio had in 2008 allegedly "misused their official position," to apply for housing plot under Mogappair zone of TNHB and were allotted two grounds of vacant plots each, it said.

However, even before the official order for the allotment was received, they had allegedly colluded with a private person to put it for their personal use and also received Rs 19 lakh from him for this purpose, which was in violation of TNHB provisions, the release said.

Cases were filed against them under different Indian Penal Code sections including cheating and criminal conspiracy and Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 on March 1 for having caused "losses to TNHB and making illegal profits."

In January 2011, the then DMK government headed by Karunanidhi had scrapped the discretionary quota system in TNHB, in the wake of an alleged scam where land was allotted to a Madras high court judge, Congress and DMK members of Legislative Assembly and intelligence officials in violation of norms.

Karunanidhi had, however, denied any wrongdoing.