Tamil Nadu DVAC Inspects Library Records Amid Allegations of Irregular Book Procurement

Officials from the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) launched a detailed inquiry on Tuesday into alleged irregularities surrounding the procurement of books for Tamil Nadu government libraries. As part of the ongoing probe, DVAC teams inspected official records at the Anna Centenary Library in Chennai and Periyar Arivulagam in Coimbatore.

The investigation follows a formal complaint lodged by the School Education Department with the DVAC. Initial state government verifications revealed that multiple suspicious publishing firms were operating from a single address. School Education Minister A Rajmohan stated that the book procurement process was manipulated during the previous DMK regime to favor unknown entities while bypassing established and reputable publishers.

According to the minister, a syndicate operating in collusion with officials and political figures systematically procured low-quality books to siphon funds. Particular scrutiny fell on a publisher named Agal Vilakku Pathippagam, after writer Perumal Murugan flagged irregularities concerning nearly 1,800 of its books stocked at the newly inaugurated Rs 300 crore Periyar Arivulagam library in Coimbatore. These books were subsequently removed from library shelves on Saturday.

The procurement controversy has created a political dispute. The ruling TVK has blamed the previous DMK government for approving the bulk purchase orders, while the opposition DMK has demanded an impartial probe to identify the specific officials who greenlit the transactions.

Authorities have taken steps to remove identified AI-generated and problematic books across state facilities. Officials have sealed approximately 3,000 books in Coimbatore and identified 523 problematic books at the historic Connemara Public Library in Chennai. Minister Rajmohan noted that several of the suspicious books featured generic author biographies, missing bibliographic information, and clear evidence of machine-generated text and errors.

A DVAC team, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Kandasamy, examined documents related to the procurement period during the previous administration at the Anna Centenary Library in Kotturpuram. A parallel examination of official records was conducted by a separate team at Periyar Arivulagam. Sources indicate that the DVAC will fix responsibility on the individuals involved in the scam upon the conclusion of the detailed inquiry.

"This case highlights the critical importance of robust internal controls and transparent procurement processes in government and institutional spending. When oversight mechanisms fail and verification of vendors is bypassed, it creates vulnerabilities for financial irregularities. For businesses and public entities alike, maintaining strict vendor due diligence and audit trails is essential to safeguard integrity, ensure quality compliance, and maintain public trust." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes