Chennai, Jul 23 (UNI) The Tamil Nadu government has given sanction to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to prosecute 11 people, including former Ministers C. Vijayabaskar and B.V.Ramana, retired top police and Food Safety department officials in the infamous that rocked the state during the previous AIADMK regime. Following a proposal sent by the CBI Anti-corruption Unit, New Delhi to State Chief Secretary V.Irai Anbu that there was a prima facie case for initiating prosecution proceedings against them based on materials available on record, the state government accorded sanction to prosecute those involved in the scam under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
While Ramana had served as the Commercial Taxes Minister, Vijayabaskar was the Health Minister when the scam came to light in 2017 after the death of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in December 2016. Among those who will face prosecution included retired DGP S.George and T.K. Rajendran who have also served as Chennai City Police Commissioners. The case pertained to a secret report sent by the Income Tax Department to the then ChiefSecretary P.S.Rama Mohana Rao and Director General of Police (DGP) Ashok Kumar in 2016 containing details of alleged payment of bribes to the tune of Rs 39.91 crore by a gutkha manufacturer to a Minister, two top police officers and other officials to allow the unhindered sale of the banned tobacco products in Chennai city. The scam triggered widespread protests from the Opposition parties, including the DMK which demanded a CBI probe, which was subsequently ordered by the Madras High Court on a plea filed by former DMK MLA J.Anbazhagan.
