Swamy demands sacking of TN minister for seeking favour

Chennai, May 12 (UNI) Janata Party President Subramaniam Swamy today demanded the sacking of Tamil Nadu Social Welfare Minister Dr Poongothai for allegedly seeking a favour from the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC), misusing her official position.

Releasing to the media the tapped telephonic conversation that allegedly took place between the Minister and DVAC Chief Upadhyaya, Dr Swamy said he had submitted the details in this regard to Tamil Nadu Governor S S Barnala and demanded the dismissal of Dr Poongothai from the DMK ministry.

In the conversation, Dr Poongothai allegedly requested the DVAC Chief to provide succour to an Electrcity Board staff, who was trapped in a corruption case, stating that he was the sole breadwinner of the family and he should be relieved.

The EB staff was said to be a relative of the minister.

The DVAC chief said it was a ''trap case'' and the department had launched an investigation into the incident and he could decide on the fate of the case only after the report was filed, which would take a minimum of two months.

In her renewed appeal, Dr Poongothai requested the DVAC Chief to transfer the case to the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board for departmental action.

The Phone tapping incident comes close on the heels of the tapping of the conversation between the Chief Secretary and top police officials.

Dr Swamy's ''exposure'' comes at a time when the DMK government constituted a judicial probe into the phone tapping issue.

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