WP Crl./581/2026 of P.Narayanan Vs The Principal Secretary to Government

WP.Crl.No.581 of 2026 __________ Page1 of 9 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED: 20-04-2026 CORAM THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE A.D.JAGADISH CHANDIRA WP.Crl.No.581 of 2026 and WPMP.Crl.No.175 of 2026 P.Narayanan, Joint Director of Municipal Administration, Now Regional Director of Municipal Administration, Vellore Region, Vellore – 632 012. ..Petitioner(s) Vs. 1. The Principal Secretary to Government, Municipal Administration and Water Supply (ME-4) Department, Secretariat, Chennai – 600 009. 2. The District Collector, O/o District Collectorate, Thiruvallur Thiruvallur District. 3. The Director Vigilance and Anti-Corruption No.293, M.K.N.Road, Alandur, Chennai 600 016. 4. The Director of Local Fund Audit, No.571, Officers Building, Veterinary Hospital Campus, Opposite M C Raja Hospital, Anna Salai, Nandanam, Chennai – 600 035. https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP.Crl.No.581 of 2026 __________ Page2 of 9 5. The Commissioner, Avadi City Municipal Corporation, Avadi, Chennai – 600 054. 6. The Director of Municipal Administration, No.75, Santhome High Road, MRC Nagar, R.A.Puram, Chennai – 600 028. 7. The Superintendent of Police, Northern Range, Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, Chennai – 16. 8. The Inspector of Police, Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, No.293, M.K.N.Road, Alandur, Chennai – 600 016. ..Respondent(s) Prayer : Writ Petition (Criminal) filed under Article 226 of the Constit ution of India, praying to issue a writ of Mandamus, to forbear the respondents 3, 7 & 8 from conducting any enquiry on the basis of the audit objection para No.33(7) in Objection Chit No.113/2020-2021 and the audit objection para No.33(8) in Objection Chit No.114/2020-2021, which were dropped by the District High Level Committee, headed by the District Collec tor, Tiruvallur on 23.12.2025 by its proceeding No.2520377/2024/D4. For Petitioner : Mr.M.Gnanasekar For R3, R7 & R8 : Mr.S.Udayakumar, Government Advocate (Criminal Side) https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP.Crl.No.581 of 2026 __________ Page3 of 9 ORDER This Writ Petition has been filed seeking to forbear the respondent s 3, 7 & 8 from conducting any enquiry on the basis of the audit objections dropped by the District High Level Committee, headed by the Dist rict Collector, Tiruvallur on 23.12.2025 by its proceeding No.2520377/2024/D4. 2. The petitioner, currently serving as the Regional Director of Municipal Administration, Vellore, is set to retire on 30.06.2026, upon reaching the age of superannuation. Previously, the Local Fund Audit Department raised specific audit objections against him. In res ponse, the petitioner sent a representation to the District High Level Committee, headed by the District Collector, Tiruvallur. By considering the representation of the petitioner, the District Collector, acting as the Chairman of the District High Level Committee, ordered the deletion of audit paragraphs 33(7) and 33( 8), which was against the petitioner. Despite this clearance, the respondents have initiated disciplinary proceedings against him. Consequently, the petitione r has approached this Court by filing the present Writ Petition. https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP.Crl.No.581 of 2026 __________ Page4 of 9 3. When the matter was listed on 17.03.2026, this Court heard both sides and passed the following order:- “Mr.B.Kumar, learned Senior Counsel, appearing for the petitioner submitted that when the petitioner was working as a Commissioner of Avadi City Municipal Corporation, certain audit objections were raised, which were subsequently, directed by the District Collector, Thiruvallur District, to be deleted against the petitioner and others, vide proceedings in Na.Ka.No.2520377/2024/D4 dated 23.12.2025. However, the respondents have now initiated an enquiry. Therefore, in such circumstances, no enquiry should be conducted in respect of the audit objections that have been been deleted as against the petitioner. 2. Learned Government Advocate (Criminal Side) appearing for respondents 7 & 8, submitted that only a preliminary enquiry in P.E.No.07/2026/CORPN/CC-IV dated 25.02.2026 has been initiated and that further action would be taken only based on the outcome of the said enquiry. It was further submitted, on instructions from Ms.Judy Abigail, Inspector of Police, CC-IV, DVAC, that the proceedings of the District Collector dated 23.12.2025 would also be taken into account during the enquiry. 3. Post the matter after four weeks.” https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP.Crl.No.581 of 2026 __________ Page5 of 9 4. Today, a status report has been filed by the respondents 3, 7 & 8, along with the inquiry report. The relevant portion of the inquiry report reads thus:- https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP.Crl.No.581 of 2026 __________ Page6 of 9 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP.Crl.No.581 of 2026 __________ Page7 of 9 5. The learned Government Advocate (Criminal Side), appearing for the respondents 3, 7 & 8, submitted that the respondents concerned conducted only a preliminary inquiry in PE.No.7/2026/CORPOR/CC-IV. He further submitted that since during the preliminary inquiry, the allegations against the petitioner/Accused Officer-1 were not substantiated, the respondents have dropped all further action. Consequently, nothing survives for further adjudication in the Writ Petition. 6. Taking into consideration the submissions made by the learned Government Advocate (Criminal Side), appearing for the respondents 3, 7 & 8 and recording both the status report filed by the said respondents a nd the copy of the preliminary inquiry report produced before this Court, this Writ Petition stands closed. No costs. Connected miscellaneous petition i s also closed. 20-04-2026 (½) Index: Yes/No Speaking/Non-speaking order Neutral Citation: Yes/No Sni https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP.Crl.No.581 of 2026 __________ Page8 of 9 To 1.The Principal Secretary to Government, Municipal Administration and Water Supply (ME-4) Department, Secretariat, Chennai – 600 009. 2.The District Collector, O/o District Collectorate, Thiruvallur Thiruvallur District. 3.The Director Vigilance and Anti-Corruption No.293, M.K.N.Road, Alandur, Chennai 600 016. 4.The Director of Local Fund Audit, No.571, Officers Building, Veterinary Hospital Campus, Opposite M C Raja Hospital, Anna Salai, Nandanam, Chennai – 600 035. 5.The Commissioner, Avadi City Municipal Corporation, Avadi, Chennai – 600 054. 6.The Director of Municipal Administration, No.75, Santhome High Road, MRC Nagar, R.A.Puram, Chennai – 600 028. 7.The Superintendent of Police, Northern Range, Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, Chennai – 16. 8.The Inspector of Police, Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, No.293, M.K.N.Road, Alandur, Chennai – 600 016. https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP.Crl.No.581 of 2026 __________ Page9 of 9 A.D.JAGADISH CHANDIRA, J. Sni WP.Crl.No.581 of 2026 and WPMP.Crl.No.175 of 2026 20-04-2026 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis