The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday asked the State government to take steps to strengthen the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption by reviewing and enhancing its sanctioned strength and infrastructure in six months.

Justice B. Pugalendhi observed that the government should take urgent steps to strengthen the DVAC, increase the sanctioned strength, and ensure it functioned independently with resources to match its mandate. Combating corruption was not an optional policy, it was a constitutional imperative.

The court took into account that the sanctioned strength was 611 officers, and 541 officers were working currently. Approximately, 15,000 complaints were received by the agency annually. The current manpower and infrastructure were grossly inadequate to address the scale and complexity of corruption, the court observed.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Malar Selvi. Her husband passed away in 2022. She claimed inheritance rights over certain properties of her deceased father-in-law in Athikaripatti in Madurai district. After her husband’s death, the petitioner was informed by her relatives that certain ancestral properties were alienated by forging pattas and suppressing the earlier registered documents.

When she approached officials, she was advised to establish her case after obtaining a legal heir certificate and patta transfers. For making arrangements, they demanded ₹2 lakh. The petitioner paid the amount in multiple instalments and the last payment of ₹45,000 was paid through G-pay to the wife of a VAO.

Further demands for money were made. Therefore, the petitioner lodged a complaint with the DVAC. As no action was taken, she filed a petition seeking a direction to the authorities to conduct a proper investigation.

The purpose of the DVAC was not to function as a post office. Every complaint could not be brushed aside merely because documents were not enclosed.

The court took into account that the patta mentioned in the complaint appeared to have been transferred in a highly suspicious and expedited manner. The entire chain of transactions and the officials involved in patta transfers must be reviewed thoroughly, the court observed.

It directed the DVAC to register an FIR based on the petitioner’s complaint and proceed with the investigation.

The Madurai Collector was directed to ensure that the pattas mentioned in the complaint and the connected transactions were re-examined independently. Necessary action must be taken as against the erring officials, the court observed, directed the petitioner to cooperate with the investigation, and disposed of the petition.