After 9-hour grilling, CBI lets off TN minister

  • | Saturday | 15th December, 2018

A team of CBI officials from Delhi conducted the inquiry, along with their colleagues from Chennai unit. Sources say the minister got off a cab and was seen waiting in the reception until the CBI officials arrived at around 9am. CHENNAI: After nearly nine hours of interrogation in connection with the gutka scam, state health minister C Vijaya Baskar and former state diary minister B V Ramana were let off by the CBI on Saturday at 7.40pm.Vijaya Baskar, who was summoned by the investigating agency, ducked the media glare by reaching CBI’s Sastri Bhavan office on Haddows Road at 8.15am by taxi. Vijaya Baskar was questioned in the presence of his aide Saravanan, who had deposed before the central agency earlier this month.When mediapersons and others inquired about the minister’s whereabouts, officials and staff of health department said he was incommunicado.Ex-minister Ramana, however, arrived at the CBI office at 10.15am and was allowed to leave a few minutes before Vijaya Baskar. However, details about what they were asked remain unknown.In November, the CBI filed a chargesheet implicating six suspects, including three state government officials, involved in the case but no names of politicians were found.

CHENNAI: After nearly nine hours of interrogation in connection with the gutka scam, state health minister C Vijaya Baskar and former state diary minister B V Ramana were let off by the CBI on Saturday at 7.40pm.Vijaya Baskar, who was summoned by the investigating agency, ducked the media glare by reaching CBI’s Sastri Bhavan office on Haddows Road at 8.15am by taxi. He had been summoned to appear at 10.30am. Sources say the minister got off a cab and was seen waiting in the reception until the CBI officials arrived at around 9am. A team of CBI officials from Delhi conducted the inquiry, along with their colleagues from Chennai unit. Vijaya Baskar was questioned in the presence of his aide Saravanan, who had deposed before the central agency earlier this month.When mediapersons and others inquired about the minister’s whereabouts, officials and staff of health department said he was incommunicado.Ex-minister Ramana, however, arrived at the CBI office at 10.15am and was allowed to leave a few minutes before Vijaya Baskar. However, details about what they were asked remain unknown.In November, the CBI filed a chargesheet implicating six suspects, including three state government officials, involved in the case but no names of politicians were found. Later, CBI officials informed Madras high court that the possibility of including politicians and senior police officers in the gutka scam could not be ruled out.The CBI claims to be in possession of material evidence and proof to substantiate their charges against politicians and senior police officers, following searches at the residences of Vijaya Baskar, director-general of police TK Rajendran , former minister BV Ramana, former DGP S George, and many others on September 5.Gutka scam began to unfold after income tax officials stumbled upon a diary from the MDM brand gutka owner Madhava Rao’s residence. It apparently contained details of people who had received bribes on monthly basis. Initially, the case was handled by the directorate of vigilance and anti-corruption (DVAC) but Madras high court transferred the case and entrusted it with the CBI.After the CBI took over the probe, at least four arrests have been made and a chargesheet filed to pre-empt the possible release of the suspects on statutory bail. A senior CBI official said inquires revealed showed evidences of illegal manufacture and sale of gutka and other tobacco products in the state, manipulation of documents and payments of bribe to politicians and officials from police, food safety , central excise and commercial taxes departments.

If You Like This Story, Support NYOOOZ

NYOOOZ SUPPORTER

NYOOOZ FRIEND

Your support to NYOOOZ will help us to continue create and publish news for and from smaller cities, which also need equal voice as much as citizens living in bigger cities have through mainstream media organizations.


Stay updated with all the Chennai Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.

Related Articles