DVAC searches 19 locations linked to ex-minister K.N. Nehru, DMK calls it politically motivated
DVAC officials began searches simultaneously at his residence in Mylapore, locations linked to Nehru and his bother in Adyar, Thiruvanmiyur, Anna Nagar and Abiramapuram. Searches were also conducted at Nehru’s residence and other premises in Thillai Nagar, Tiruchy
The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC) has initiated searches across 19 locations connected to former DMK minister K.N. Nehru and his brother Ravichandran. These actions stem from an ongoing inquiry into alleged multi-crore bribery and significant irregularities concerning recruitment and tender allocations within the Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) Department during Nehru's ministerial period. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had previously provided the Madras High Court with materials that led to a directive for the DVAC to register a First Information Report (FIR) concerning substantial financial misconduct. DMK president M.K. Stalin has publicly denounced these searches as politically motivated, asserting that they are timed strategically alongside a pending court case and the ongoing Assembly session, and suggesting the ruling party is resorting to such measures due to its narrow majority. While DVAC officials maintain that the searches are a direct result of the high court's order, informed sources suggest potential political undertones, particularly given Nehru's influential position as deputy floor leader and his recent assertive critiques of the ruling administration's policies, including contentious issues related to TASMAC liquor sales. The core allegations against Nehru involve potential financial misconduct amounting to approximately ₹1,020 crore across recruitment processes and tender awards, with specific focus from the ED on the alleged collection of bribes for the appointment of 2,538 individuals.
The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC) has initiated searches across 19 locations connected to former DMK minister K.N. Nehru and his brother Ravichandran. These actions stem from an ongoing inquiry into alleged multi-crore bribery and significant irregularities concerning recruitment and tender allocations within the Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) Department during Nehru's ministerial period. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had previously provided the Madras High Court with materials that led to a directive for the DVAC to register a First Information Report (FIR) concerning substantial financial misconduct. DMK president M.K. Stalin has publicly denounced these searches as politically motivated, asserting that they are timed strategically alongside a pending court case and the ongoing Assembly session, and suggesting the ruling party is resorting to such measures due to its narrow majority. While DVAC officials maintain that the searches are a direct result of the high court's order, informed sources suggest potential political undertones, particularly given Nehru's influential position as deputy floor leader and his recent assertive critiques of the ruling administration's policies, including contentious issues related to TASMAC liquor sales. The core allegations against Nehru involve potential financial misconduct amounting to approximately ₹1,020 crore across recruitment processes and tender awards, with specific focus from the ED on the alleged collection of bribes for the appointment of 2,538 individuals.
The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC) has initiated searches across 19 locations connected to former DMK minister K.N. Nehru and his brother Ravichandran. These actions stem from an ongoing inquiry into alleged multi-crore bribery and significant irregularities concerning recruitment and tender allocations within the Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) Department during Nehru's ministerial period. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had previously provided the Madras High Court with materials that led to a directive for the DVAC to register a First Information Report (FIR) concerning substantial financial misconduct. DMK president M.K. Stalin has publicly denounced these searches as politically motivated, asserting that they are timed strategically alongside a pending court case and the ongoing Assembly session, and suggesting the ruling party is resorting to such measures due to its narrow majority. While DVAC officials maintain that the searches are a direct result of the high court's order, informed sources suggest potential political undertones, particularly given Nehru's influential position as deputy floor leader and his recent assertive critiques of the ruling administration's policies, including contentious issues related to TASMAC liquor sales. The core allegations against Nehru involve potential financial misconduct amounting to approximately ₹1,020 crore across recruitment processes and tender awards, with specific focus from the ED on the alleged collection of bribes for the appointment of 2,538 individuals.
The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC) conducted searches at 19 locations linked to former DMK minister K.N. Nehru and his brother Ravichandran. The raids at Nehru’s residence in Chennai began as early as 7 am on Saturday, as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged multi-crore bribery and irregularities in recruitment and tender allocations in the Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) Department.
DVAC officials began searches simultaneously at his residence in Mylapore, locations linked to Nehru and his bother in Adyar, Thiruvanmiyur, Anna Nagar and Abiramapuram. Searches were also conducted at Nehru’s residence and other premises in Thillai Nagar, Tiruchy.
Nehru reached the Thillai Nagar residence, after four officials from the DVAC began searches. A few DMK functionaries including his counterpart in Tiruchy and former minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi reached there. Reacting to the raids DMK president and former Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, called it as politically motivated. “The searches are being conducted even as a case was pending before the high court and the Assembly session is underway,” he said. He alleged that the ruling TVK government had resorted to the action for “purely political reasons”. Accusing the government of having allegedly induced legislators from other parties to resign and join the ruling party on the Assembly premises, Stalin alleged that the DVAC had not registered an FIR on complaints relating to the alleged horse-trading.
What is the case against Nehru and is it based on the ED case against him?
The case against Nehru stems from the allegations of irregularities in appointments and tender allocations during his tenure as the minister for MAWS department between 2021 and 2026. The Enforcement Directorate which had already approached the Madras High Court seeking registration of a DVAC FIR after several rounds of searches at the places linked Nehru, just before the election, had alleged that bribes amounting to several crores were collected in connection with the appointment of 2,538 officials. The ED in a long note written to the then DGP Shankar Jiwal asked police to register an FIR against Nehru alleging irregularities worth around ₹1,020 crore in recruitments and tenders. Consequently, the Madras High Court, in February, directed the DVAC to register a case based on materials supplied by the ED, observing that they prima facie disclosed cognisable offences. The DVAC, however, registered an FIR in June under Section 7(c) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, only after the regime change in Tamil Nadu. The DIR has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, naming Nehru, the DMK's principal secretary, his brothers Ravichandran and Manivannan and several officials.
Nehru who has been elected from the Tiruchirappalli West Assembly constituency is the DMK's deputy floor leader in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.
Is it politically motivated?
While the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption department sources maintain that the searches are based on an high court order to register FIR against Nehru for alleged corruption in the MAWS department, as pointed out by the Enforcement Directorate, the buzz is that the raids are politically motivated. Sources say that a few of the former ministers like Nehru, Senthil Balaji, E.V.Velu and Shekhar Babu are looked at as powerful leaders in the DMK who might bring down the TVK government which is running on a thin majority. In fact, in the past 25 days since the budget session in the assembly began as the deputy leader of the opposition DMK Nehru confronted the ruling TVK on every issue. Recently during the debate on demands for grants for the prohibition and excise department, Nehru confronted the treasury benches, questioning why the extra ₹10 collection was still happening at TASMAC shops under the current TVK regime if it was previously labelled as corruption. He argued that continuing an unjust practice cannot be defended by blaming past administrations. “How is that you justify if the extra ₹10 is collected under your regime as expenses and call it as corruption in our regime?” he asked.
Sources say Nehru’s straight question on the extra ₹10 collection for every bottle sold in the retail liquor shops and the TASMAC employees protests across the state had actually irked the ruling administration. According to highly placed sources in the excise department and TASMAC, the minister and the administration could not handle the employees who had shut down the liquor shops and came out to the streets to protest. The protests turned strong in the delta region, where Nehru is considered to be a strongman.