The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has sought details of who recommended the purchase of books from Agal Vilakku Publications for Coimbatore’s Evera Arivulagam, while granting the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption time until November 16 to register a case, if required, and report the government’s action in the matter.
The proceedings relate to allegations that books described as fake or unauthorised publications were purchased and kept at the Periyar Knowledge World, also known as Evera Arivulagam, in Coimbatore. According to Dinamalar, the books were subsequently removed from the facility and placed in safe custody. The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption is examining the procurement.
A petition before the High Court sought an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation or the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department into the book purchases. It also sought action for contempt of court against Tamil Nadu Higher Education Department Secretary Gopal and Director of Public Libraries Shajeevana, alleging that they had failed to comply with an order issued by the High Court in 2024.
The case was heard by Justices G.R. Swaminathan and M.D. Sumathy. During the hearing, the court asked who had recommended procuring books from Agal Vilakku Publications. The Public Libraries Department reportedly told the court that a 112-member committee had recommended the purchase of the books.
The state government further submitted that the decision had been considered by a recommendation committee, a purchase committee and a higher-level committee. The submissions placed the procurement within a multi-stage institutional process involving several committees, rather than a single administrative approval.
The court also heard a submission from East Publishing House that the existence of four committees should make it possible to identify where Agal Vilakku Publications had been included in the procurement process. The hearing therefore focused on tracing the recommendation and approval chain behind the purchases.
The allegations concern the management of public-library resources and the procedures used to select books for a public knowledge facility. The proceedings may require the authorities to establish which committee considered the publisher, what recommendation was made, and how that recommendation moved through the procurement structure. The supplied report does not provide the value of the purchases, the number of books involved or the findings of any completed investigation.
The court granted the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption time to register a case regarding the alleged irregularities and directed the government to submit a report on the steps it has taken. The matter has been adjourned until November 16. The court’s order on that date is expected to record the government’s response and the status of the vigilance action.
