India
MyNation is in possession of documents that reveal shocking details of Tamil Nadu minister Velumani awarding multi-crore government contracts to companies owned by his kith and kin through departments that are right under him. It roughly adds up to 104% turnover boost in 3 years.
From films to politics, nepotism has a deep-rooted existence. The recent striking example of it is in the political corridors of Tamil Nadu where State minister SP Velumani is allegedly found favouring his family members by misusing his power.
MyNation is in possession of documents that reveal shocking details of Velumani awarding multi-crore government contracts to companies owned by his kith and kin through departments that are right under him. In fact, the number of contracts given to the companies and the profits made by those members close to Velumani have risen exponentially, especially after the demise of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. It roughly adds up to 104% turnover boost in 3 years.
Sometimes, companies are deliberately floated (by the same people) with the sole intention of bagging multi-crore government contracts. The documents show three companies - KCP Enigneers Private Limited, Vardhan Infraastructure and Constronics India - being run by members of the same family.
Most of these companies claim to be dealing with road and infrastructure projects. Chennai and Coimbatore corporations are found to be awarding contracts repeatedly to companies like KCP Engineers Private Limited and Vardhan Infraastructure. From supplying contract employees, medical officers, medical equipments, lab technicians, nurses, paramedical staff, data entry operators, daily wage labourers and building multi-evel parking under smart city scheme, they take care of it all.
Tamil Nadu has interestingly not witnessed local bodies since October 2016. Is this Velumani's attempt to continue his contact scandal uninterruptedly?
Detailed look at the companies:
P Senthil & Co: Coimbatore corporation alone has awarded more than Rs 15 crore worth projects. Velumani’s brother SP Anbarasan owns the company.
KCP Engineers Private Limited: Chennai corporation has awarded more than Rs 100 crore worth projects for road repair alone in three years. From 2011-2015, more than Rs 50 crore worth projects have been awarded by Coimbatore corporation alone.
Rajan Chandrashekaran, Coimbatore Rural Youth Wing Secretary, is one of the founding directors of the company, and is a close aide of Velumani. The company's website displayed a turnover of around Rs 650 crore. Rajan resigned from the company in 2017 and joined AIADMK's mouthpiece 'Namadhu Amma'.
Vardhan Infraastructure: Chennai corporation alone has awarded more than Rs 2.5 crore worth projects, and Coimbatore corporation has awarded projects worth Rs 6.5 crore. Sundari Krishnakumar, mother of Chandraprakash, managing director of KCP Engineers Private Limited, owns this company.
Alleged benamis of Velumani run several other companies. Vardhaan Infrastructure is allegedly home to two other companies - Constronics India and Constromall Goods Private Limited. Managing director of KCP Engineers Chandraprakash and Namadhu Amma's Rajan Chandrashekaran are directors of Constromall Goods Private Limited.
Chandraprakas's wife Uma Maheshwari is the independent director of Constronics India.
KCP Engineers Private Limited has a subsidiary company - Aalayam Foundation, where Rajan is a major shareholder. And Chandraprakash is the managing director here.
Several of these companies' client list consists of Chennai corporation, Coimbatore corporation, Tiruchirapalli corporation, Southern railway, Chennai metro rail, PWD, Tamil Nadu government, Telangana Government, Andhra Pradesh Government, etc.
While Velumani has denied all these charges, opposition party's MK Stalin (DMK chief) has demanded for a CBI probe into this.
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