Chennai: Madras high court has warned that it would be constrained to transfer the DVAC probe into the suspected multi-crore scam in the Madurai Central Prison to another agency if the investigation is not completed in four months.A division bench of Justice S M Subramaniam and Justice M Jothiraman passed the order on Wednesday, on a plea moved by M Gokila seeking 60 days’ remission and payment of four months’ wage arrears for her husband, a convict lodged in Puzhal prison.During the course of the hearing, her lawyer, P Pugalenthi, brought to the court’s notice the scam in Madurai prison involving the supply of stationery to govt departments. He alleged that the prison authorities swindled more than ₹30 crore by altering the supply records.On Jan 8, 2025, the bench had ordered action on the allegation. However, even after nearly two years, the court was informed that the probe was in progress. The prosecutor said a special team would be constituted to expedite the investigation.Recording the submission, the bench directed the DVAC to constitute a team headed by an IPS officer and complete the probe in four months and file a report before the court concerned.According to the petitioner, prisoners in Madurai central prison are involved in manufacturing stationery like envelopes which would be supplied to various government departments.The authorities in charge of the supply have swindled about ₹30 crore from June 2019 to June 2021 by modifying the bills of supply, the petitioner said.For instance, on July 7, 2019, the district court of Madurai received 5,000 small envelopes, 5,000 medium-size envelopes and 250 file pads from the prison, however, the bills were modified as if 50,000 small envelopes, 1,00,000 medium-size envelopes and 1,50,000 large envelopes were supplied, he added.
