Officials of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) raided Chennai’s Anna Centenary Library in Kotturpuram after State Minister for School Education Rajmohan sought an investigation into documents linked to book procurement at major libraries in Tamil Nadu.
The raid follows a controversy over alleged irregularities in the purchase of books for the recently opened Anna Arivulagam, or Anna Knowledge World, in Coimbatore. The minister subsequently entrusted the matter to the DVAC, according to a report by Deccan Chronicle.
A DVAC team led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Kandasamy examined records relating to the procurement of books for the Anna Centenary Library. The documents under scrutiny concern purchases made during the tenure of the previous DMK government.
The officials also took some records for closer examination. The reported action indicates that the inquiry is examining procurement documentation across major public libraries rather than being limited to the Coimbatore facility that triggered the controversy.
The Anna Centenary Library is a major public knowledge institution in Chennai, while the Coimbatore facility has recently drawn attention over the purchase of books. The reported investigation therefore places the administration of public libraries, including how collections are procured and documented, at the centre of the matter.
The source report does not establish that any official or supplier has been found guilty of wrongdoing. It says the DVAC conducted the raid on the basis of the minister’s complaint and reviewed records for further scrutiny. The investigation’s findings, including whether the documents point to procedural violations or other irregularities, have not been reported in the supplied material.
The episode also highlights the role of administrative records in public-sector procurement investigations. Book purchases involve public funds and institutional decision-making, making tender, approval and supply documentation central to any assessment of the process. In this case, the DVAC’s examination is focused on records from the Anna Centenary Library and purchases made during the earlier government period.
The reported action began after charges were raised over book purchases for Anna Arivulagam in Coimbatore. The minister’s complaint widened the scope of attention to documents relating to procurement in all top libraries, with the Anna Centenary Library becoming one of the institutions examined by the vigilance agency.
Further details about the value of the purchases, the vendors involved, the specific records taken by the DVAC and the next stage of the inquiry were not available in the supplied report. The investigation will now turn on the documents examined by the agency and any findings that may follow from that scrutiny.
