Tamil Nadu: In CM cell, accused officials probing complaints against self, citizens cry farce

CHENNAI: Serious concerns have emerged over the functioning of the Mudhalvarin Mugavari portal, the Chief Minister's Public Grievance Redressal Platform (commonly referred to as the CM Cell), with several complainants alleging their petitions are being assigned to the very officials they are filed against—raising questions over the platform's fairness and efficacy.

Civic activists and affected citizens claim this practice not only undermines the purpose of the grievance system but also opens the door to retaliation and harassment.

Citizen Senthil, a social activist who has filed multiple complaints through the portal, shared his ordeal with DT Next.

"I recently submitted three complaints through the Mudhalvarin Mugavari portal. Shockingly, all three were routed to the same officials I had accused of misconduct. This defeats the very purpose of a grievance mechanism," he said.

Citing a specific instance, Senthil said he had raised a complaint on May 20 against police personnel at the SRMC Police Station under the Avadi Police Commissionerate, citing inaction and dereliction of duty.

However, the complaint was assigned to the Porur assistant commissioner, who, as per departmental rules, is also the authority responsible for investigating such complaints, he noted.

"He (ACP, Porur) contacted me over the phone and asked me to appear for an inquiry. I told him I would attend only if a formal summon was issued. Instead, a summon was served by the sub inspector of the same police station I had complained against. He summoned me for an inquiry scheduled for June 18, asking me to bring supporting documents. It felt more like intimidation than a legal process," Senthil alleged.

Following this, Senthil submitted an appeal on June 20, this time also naming the assistant commissioner of police, Porur. However, the fresh complaint was also assigned to the same officer, he said.

"This amounts to clear abuse of authority. Investigating one's own conduct is not just unethical—it is illegal," he charged.

Similar patterns were reported in other departments.

A complaint lodged on June 17 against the Sriperumbudur RDO for failing to cancel a bogus patta for over 65 months was reportedly assigned to the same RDO.

"I had already approached him directly before resorting to the CM portal. When no action was taken, I filed the complaint, only to see it end up with him again," said Senthil.

Likewise, another petition submitted on June 21 against the Kundrathur BDO for 21 months of inaction regarding an illegal building was allegedly directed back to the same officer.

In yet another case, V Dhanushree of Tiruvallur district received a summon from the assistant commissioner of Poonamallee in response to a complaint she had lodged against Sevvapet Police Station back in 2022.

When contacted, officials at the Mudhalvarin Mugavari helpline (1100) claimed that not all complaints were being sent to accused officers.

"In some cases, like the RDO complaint, it was escalated to the District Collectorate, and higher authorities will look into it," an employee said.

Repeated attempts by DT Next to contact P Amudha, Additional Chief Secretary and Special Officer in charge of Mudhalvarin Mugavari, went unanswered.