Deputy Superintendent of Police Pandian, who has been serving as the personal security officer for more than a decade, was placed on suspension yesterday on graft charges on the last day of his service i.e. on the date of his superannuation.

Pandian was appointed as DMK’s nonagenarian president’s personal security officer in the year 2006.  He had been accused of taking ‘liberal help’ from the then ruling DMK and acquiring 4800 sq.ft. land in Mugappair (meant to be allotted to the poor), selling the same against existing rules of the Tamil Nadu Housing Board causing several lakhs rupees loss to the Board.

Trouble arose when Pandian made the payment in a single instalment soon after he was allotted 4,800 sq. Ft house by the TNHB.  Social activist Selvaraj hailing from Chennai complained to the Anti-Corruption Bureau of the State Govt. to go into the sources of funds of Pandian who could make such a hue payment by a single check.

A case was registered against Pandian son after the J. Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK took over in the State in 2011.  The case had been pending for disposal for seven long years and had come back to haunt Pandian ironically on the date of his retirement yesterday as he was placed under suspension just a few hours before retirement, thus putting on hold all the retirement benefits that might accrue to him.