Trichy, May 21, 2025 — The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) has initiated legal action against two retired senior officials from the agriculture department, accusing them of misusing public funds and procuring inferior-quality agricultural equipment and inputs during their tenure.
The First Information Report (FIR), filed on Monday, names M Murugesan, a former Joint Director in Trichy, and S Selvam, who held the same rank under state schemes. The investigation was prompted by a complaint lodged in November 2023 by M Abdullah, a farmers’ association leader from Manapparai, who alleged irregularities in procurement under multiple government-supported agricultural schemes.
According to the complaint, the two officials acquired low-grade farm machinery and inputs from select companies for distribution to farmers under 14 different schemes, such as the National Agricultural Development Programme (NADP), Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA), and the National Food Security Mission (NFSM). The purchases reportedly violated the guidelines of the District Level Agricultural Procurement Committee (DLAPC), with accusations that the suppliers chosen had close ties to the officials involved.
DVAC’s preliminary inquiry revealed that the accused bypassed required committee meetings and authorized purchases totaling approximately ₹2.25 crore under the State Agriculture Development Scheme. Investigators noted multiple procedural violations, including failure to adhere to Tamil Nadu’s Transparency in Tender Rules. Moreover, although records indicated that the procured items were distributed to beneficiaries, the investigation found otherwise.
Following the verification of these findings, DVAC registered a case under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, along with Sections 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servants) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code. Both individuals had retired around a year ago. The probe into the matter is ongoing.