Chennai, Jan 21 (IANS): The Madras High Court on Tuesday directed the Tamil Nadu Accountant General (AGTN) to deploy a team of 10 officers to audit the utilisation of the Tamil Nadu Victim Compensation Fund across all eight central prisons in the state.
The court ordered the audit team to submit its report by January 30, 2025.
The directive was issued by a division bench comprising Justices S.M. Subramaniam and M. Jothiraman while hearing a writ petition filed by M. Deepalakshmi of Virudhachalam in Cuddalore district.
The court also included the AGTN as a respondent in the case. Deepalakshmi filed the petition on behalf of her husband, Mudikondan alias Senthilkumar, a life-term convict in a 2015 murder case, whose sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.
She claimed that her husband, who had been granted ‘A’ class facilities in prison due to his prior status as a panchayat president, an income tax assessee, and a social worker, was abruptly stripped of those privileges three months ago.
She said that even the newspapers provided to him were censored to prevent access to prison- and court-related news.
The petitioner’s counsel, P. Pugalendhi, argued that 20 per cent of prisoners’ wages are deducted to augment the Tamil Nadu Victim Compensation Fund but alleged that the fund was not being effectively utilised to support victims of criminal offences.
The petitioner sought reinstatement of ‘A’ class facilities for her husband and an investigation into the fund’s proper utilisation.
Earlier this month, on January 8, 2025, the same bench had expressed severe concern over alleged corruption and irregularities among prison officials, including the falsification of documents.
The bench criticised the state government for failing to take strict action against the officials involved, stating that misconduct by prison authorities was more egregious than offences committed by inmates.
“The purpose of prisons is to reform offenders. When prison authorities themselves engage in criminal activities, it is a gross violation of trust and duty,” the bench remarked.
During an earlier hearing, the petitioner’s counsel highlighted reports of financial irregularities in the Madurai Central Prison, including misappropriation of funds and other illegal practices.
The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) had conducted a preliminary investigation, registered FIRs, and initiated disciplinary proceedings against several officials involved.
The Additional Advocate General (AAG), J. Ravindran, submitted reports on behalf of the Home Department, detailing the findings of the DVAC probe.
The investigation revealed that stationery worth ?1.64 crore had not been supplied to government departments, with prison officials allegedly misappropriating the money.
Three officials from Madurai Central Prison—former superintendent M. Urmila, jailer S. Vasantha Kannan, and administrative officer S. Thiyagarajan—were transferred, and cases were filed against them.
The DVAC Inspector in Madurai also provided updates on the ongoing investigation. The court’s directives emphasise the importance of ensuring accountability and transparency in the management of prison funds and the welfare of both inmates and victims of crime.