The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to look into the complaint of irregularities in operation of buses in TNSTC Madurai and TNSTC Dindigul and file a status report.The court was hearing the petition filed by S. Murugesan, a former TNSTC employee who was dismissed from service. The petitioner alleged that some buses were not operated on the approved routes by the Corporation. However, records were created as if the buses were operated, causing huge financial loss to the Corporation.Citing an example, he said on July 16, 2022, three different sets of tickets were issued to passengers of the bus travelling on Dindigul – Tiruchi route. By issuing the tickets, the management had created fake entries as if three buses were operated on the same route and the diesel expenses, salary of employees and maintenance charges were misappropriated.The petitioner claimed that due to compulsion from higher officials, conductors were made to issue three different sets of tickets on a single route to create records as if three buses were operated on the route.Justice B. Pugalendhi said the allegations raised by the petitioner were serious in nature. The court also took into account that the Corporation had closed the issue by imposing a minor punishment on the Branch Manager and a Junior Assistant. It was not proper, the court said.The court said the counter affidavit filed by the Corporation did not reveal whether the fraud had been played in that particular route alone or also on other routes and whether the role of the Managing Director was examined by the Corporation.The court said it doubted whether such a fraud could have been played without the involvement of higher officials. The DVAC which ought to have examined it, had simply forwarded the complaint to the Corporation. It appeared that the disciplinary proceedings were initiated to give a closure to the issue by imposing a minor punishment on two employees rather than finding out the truth.The court directed the DVAC to look into the complaint of the petitioner and take appropriate action, if there were any irregularities, and file a status report regarding the action taken by September 3. Published - June 04, 2026 10:04 pm IST