Court orders action against khadi official for causing a loss of Rs 39L

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed the directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption to take appropriate action against a Khadi and Village Industries Board (KVIB) official who had caused wrongful loss to the tune of Rs 39 lakh to the Board.
The first bench comprising the chief justice HL Gokhale and justice D Murugesan passed the order on a writ petition filed by G Sivan, who wanted action under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act against one Joshua Chellappa, a Khadi supervisor.
According to the petitioner, when Joshua Chellappa was working as manager in the Ambattur Footwear Unit, the state government sanctioned Rs 50 lakh under the Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar Welfare Board.
The Khadi Board had used the entire amount for a processing machinery at the instance of Joshua Chellappa. It was purchased at a cost of Rs 39 lakh in February 1995, but the machine could not be put to any use. The Central Leather Research Institution (CLRI) had filed a report in September 1995, stating that it was no capable of producing a single shoe.
Joshua Chellappa had caused a loss of another Rs 4 lakh, when the Tiruchi BHEL had returned an entire footwear consignment in 1997. Alleging that several more complaints are pending against him, the petitioner wanted the court to direct the DVAC to initiate criminal proceedings against the Khadi official.