MADURAI: The state informed the Madras high court on Friday that a special investigation team (SIT), headed by deputy inspector general of police, Madurai range, Abhinav Kumar, was formed and a probe is underway into the property tax scam in Madurai corporation.
Taking into account the submissions, a division bench of justice S M Subramaniam and justice A D Maria Clete directed the authorities to file a report on the progress made in the investigation and adjourned the hearing in the case by two weeks.
The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by T Ravi, AIADMK councillor of ward 83 of Madurai Corporation. The petitioner stated that a huge scam in the assessment of property tax in the corporation came to light in 2024. He alleged that several corporation officials, in connivance with the zonal chairpersons, were involved in the scam. He also alleged that the scam resulted in a loss of more than 200 crore in revenue to the corporation.
Hence, the petitioner moved court seeking a CBI probe.
During the previous hearing, the court observed that a scam of this magnitude had to be investigated by an IPS officer, which should be monitored by higher authorities to ensure there are no lapses and no higher-level persons are left out from the ambit of prosecution. All responsible and accountable for causing a huge loss to the corporation should be prosecuted. Hence, the court directed the inspector general of police (south zone) and Madurai city commissioner of police to constitute a SIT headed by a senior IPS officer with proven integrity to probe the scam.
