The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption has unearthed substandard work in the execution of highways projects causing huge financial losses to the State exchequer. After the Tamil Nadu government declined to accord permission to register a case against the highways officials, despite prima facie evidence against them, the investigating agency booked contractors and a retired official in the case.
The DVAC has conducted a detailed inquiry into allegations of serious irregularities in the execution of road improvement and strengthening works in Thanjavur, Sivaganga and Coimbatore.
During the course of investigation, officials conducted super check and quality check at the work sites by taking core samples. Shortfalls were detected in the measurements taken from the field as compared to those recorded in the measurement books. Payments were made to officials to boost the entries in official records.
The Special Investigation Cell of the DVAC in its FIR said that contractor M/s R.R. Infra Construction, Madurai, incurred a loss of ₹1.65 crore to the State government by executing sub-standard work in Orathanadu and Thanjavur sub-divisions.
Another contractor M/s JSV Infra incurred ₹8.5 crore loss to the exchequer by executing sub-standard work in Peravurani and Pattukottai sub-divisions. In the road works done in Thiruvaiyaru, Papanasam, Kumbakonam and Thiruvidaimarudhur sub-divisions of Thanjavur District, contractor M/s KCP Infra Ltd caused a loss of ₹2.62 crore to the government by executing poor quality of work.
In Sivaganga district, investigators said quality checks revealed that contractor M/s S.P.K & Co had caused losses to the tune of ₹7.73 crore to the government by executing sub-standard work. In Coimbatore as well, a loss of ₹25.54 lakh was caused to the government by contractor M/s R.R. Infra Construction.
The DVAC said the evidences gathered during the investigation clearly revealed that between November 2018 and July 2023, Highways officials involved in the project had entered into a criminal conspiracy with the contractors and committed criminal misconduct by abusing their official position and misappropriated government money. They also used falsified documents as genuine, the FIR said.
Though there was prima facie material evidence to take action against the Highways engineers and contractors, the Highways and Minor Ports Department in its letter dated 06/06/2025 “denied to accord prior permission for all Highways officials.” The agency went on to book a case against the then Executive Engineer, S. Jagadeesan, now retired from service, and other contractors accused in the case.
Permission to prosecute denied
Prior approval u/s 17A of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 as amended in 2018 was requested against officials of Highways Department and Tr.S. Jegadeesan, Executive Engineer (Retired), Thanjavur Municipal Corporation for registering a regular case. The government denied to accord prior permission for all Highways officials.
During the course of investigation, if new evidence emerged against the Highways Department Officials, appropriate permission would be obtained from the competent authority to include them as accused in the case, the DVAC said.
Published – October 29, 2025 01:08 am IST
