Chennai: The Madras High Court has disposed of the petition filed by YouTuber Savukku Shankar seeking a CBI probe into alleged fund misappropriation under the Annal Ambedkar Business Champions Scheme (AABCS).
While declining to order a CBI investigation, the court directed the concerned authorities to verify the list of tender awardees under the scheme and ensure that only eligible candidates receive contracts.
The division bench of Justice G.R. Swaminathan and Justice V. Lakshminarayanan passed the order after reserving it during vacation court hearings in May.
The court noted an undertaking given by the President of the Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DICCI), assuring that all genuine beneficiaries would be made part of Gen Green Logistics, thereby receiving shares in the entity.
The court instructed authorities to follow principles of natural justice while reviewing the list and to remove any ineligible names.
“The outcome of this exercise must be communicated in writing to the petitioner. We are constrained to issue such a direction because the petitioner has alleged that even advocates have been included as beneficiaries,” the bench stated.
The court clarified that individuals like Ravikumar Nara or any other current director who is not a sanitation worker would not be allowed to hold shares in the GMC Group management companies.
It emphasised that only those awarded subcontracts by the fifth respondent board — presumably the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) — would be shareholders in Gen Green Logistics.
Recording DICCI’s assurance, the court ruled that DICCI must act solely as a mentor, in line with the tender notification, and play no additional role. The body must support and handhold the genuine sanitation worker-contractors, who alone will form both the shareholding and governing bodies of the logistics firm.
“Ultimately, the monetary benefits of the scheme should go only to sanitation workers,” the court said.
Shankar had moved the High Court seeking a direction to the CBI to register an FIR and investigate alleged irregularities in disbursing funds under the NAMASTE and AABCS schemes.
He alleged that ineligible persons, including members of the Congress Party’s SC/ST wing and their associates, were made beneficiaries through recommendations by TNCC President Selvaperunthagai.
These individuals allegedly won tenders floated by the CMWSSB to hire vehicles fitted with jet-rodding machines for Chennai’s sanitation work.
According to Shankar, the scheme — originally intended to uplift Scheduled Caste entrepreneurs — was illegally handed over to DICCI through a government MoU, bypassing the designated nodal agency, the Industries Commissioner and Director of Industries and Commerce (ICDIC).
He alleged that this outsourcing violated official guidelines, enabling DICCI and Gen Green Logistics to siphon off public funds by entering into lease agreements with the recommended beneficiaries and directly receiving payments from the government.
(IANS)
