Madurai Bench of Madras High Court Directs DVAC to Register FIR in Public Library Book Procurement Scam

Coimbatore: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to immediately register an FIR into alleged irregularities in the procurement of books for public libraries across Tamil Nadu, a case with direct bearing on Coimbatore's Periyar Arivulagam library, where the DVAC has already been conducting inquiries.

A Division Bench comprising Justices G.R. Swaminathan and M.D. Sumathi issued the directions while hearing a contempt petition alleging that authorities had failed to comply with the court's June 19, 2024, order on ensuring transparency and accountability in public library book procurement. The court also ordered the freezing of bank accounts belonging to Agal Vilakku Publications, its proprietor Mohan and others allegedly involved in the procurement.

The Bench observed that had its earlier comprehensive directions been implemented, purchases would not have been made from questionable entities such as Agal Vilakku, Sigma and Phoenix publishers. Taking serious note of the alleged irregularities, the court directed the Director of Public Libraries to furnish the names and details of officials responsible for the disputed procurement over the past two years and ensure that they were impleaded in the contempt proceedings. It also called for disciplinary action, including the suspension of officials found involved.

The court further directed librarians to prepare an inventory of questionable publications and ensure that they were not made available to readers. The authorities were asked to disclose the total expenditure incurred on the procurement and submit supporting records, along with an affidavit detailing the sequence of events and identifying those responsible.

Emphasising the importance of maintaining the integrity of public libraries, the Bench observed that while readers might disagree with the opinions expressed in a book, the publication itself could not be a bogus product. It pointed out that stocking libraries with books containing false information and works attributed to fictitious authors violated the statutory obligations under the Tamil Nadu Public Libraries Act, 1948, as well as readers' right to access accurate and quality information. The Bench also observed that AI-generated and plagiarised publications could fall under the category of books of doubtful taste under the Tamil Nadu Public Libraries Rules.

Meanwhile, the DVAC has launched a detailed inquiry into alleged financial irregularities in book procurement at Anna Centenary Library in Chennai and Periyar Arivulagam in Coimbatore. The inquiry followed allegations raised by Tamil Nadu School Education Minister Rajmohan that irregularities had occurred during the erstwhile DMK regime in the purchase of books for the newly inaugurated Periyar Arivulagam library in Coimbatore.

DVAC officials examined records at both libraries on November 9 and 10 and made enquiries with library staff. They also collected copies of relevant documents for investigation amid allegations that books containing AI-generated content and factual errors had been purchased at inflated prices. The issue gained attention after Tamil writer Perumal Murugan raised concerns over questionable publications and alleged irregularities in book purchases, including those made for Periyar Arivulagam in Coimbatore.

The contempt petition was filed by advocate V. Ramasubbu of Tirunelveli, alleging non-compliance with the High Court's 2024 directions. The matter was posted for further hearing on November 11.