K N Nehru Jobs Scam: DVAC Searches 25 Locations in TN

The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on Thursday searched 25 locations across Tamil Nadu linked to former minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader K N Nehru in connection with an alleged ₹634-crore cash-for-jobs scam, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.

The searches followed the registration of a case against Nehru and others on the directions of the Madras High Court. The allegations concern bribes allegedly collected from candidates in exchange for Government Jobs in the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department during Nehru’s tenure as minister.

The court-directed investigation has brought the alleged recruitment irregularities into focus, with officials examining records to establish the suspected movement of money and gather evidence related to the appointments. Nehru, meanwhile, has approached the Supreme Court to challenge the High Court’s order allowing the case to proceed.

The searches also triggered a political confrontation, with DMK president M K Stalin accusing the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay of using the operation for political purposes. Stalin described the action as vendetta politics and alleged that it was intended to divert attention from other issues facing the state.

Why did the DVAC search 25 locations?

According to PTI, DVAC teams carried out searches at 25 locations connected to Nehru as part of the investigation into the alleged recruitment scam. Officials were examining documents, financial records and other material that could help establish how the suspected payments were collected and whether they were linked to government recruitment.

The allegations relate to appointments in the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department during Nehru’s tenure as minister. Investigators are examining claims that candidates were asked to pay bribes in return for securing government jobs.

The alleged amount involved in the case is ₹634 crore. However, the allegations remain subject to investigation, and the searches themselves do not establish that Nehru or any other accused person is guilty of wrongdoing.

The DVAC’s task includes collecting and examining evidence relevant to the recruitment process and tracing the suspected flow of funds. Financial records and documents seized or examined during searches can form part of the investigative process, although the supplied information does not specify what evidence, if any, was recovered from individual locations.

Madras High Court ordered a full investigation

The searches followed a case registered against Nehru and others on the directions of the Madras High Court. The court ordered a full investigation based on material provided by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which had first flagged the alleged irregularities to the state police in October 2025.

The ED’s material prompted further scrutiny of the allegations, eventually leading to the court-directed probe. The DVAC is now investigating the suspected recruitment-related payments and examining evidence connected to the department’s appointments during the period in question.

The High Court’s intervention has become a key part of the legal proceedings. The order directed that the allegations be investigated, rather than establishing the guilt of the individuals named in the case.

The investigation will need to establish whether the alleged payments took place, who may have been involved and whether the evidence supports the accusations. The available information does not provide a detailed breakdown of the alleged ₹634-crore amount or identify the individual transactions under scrutiny.

K N Nehru moves Supreme Court against High Court order

The searches took place a day after Nehru filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Madras High Court’s October 26 order. The High Court had dismissed his review petition against the registration of the first information report (FIR).

By approaching the Supreme Court, Nehru has challenged the legal basis for allowing the case to proceed. The petition places the dispute before the country’s highest court while the state anti-corruption agency continues its investigation under the High Court’s directions.

The timing of the petition and the searches has added a legal dimension to the developing case. Nehru is contesting the High Court’s decision, while the DVAC is gathering material concerning the alleged recruitment irregularities.

The supplied information does not indicate that the Supreme Court has issued a final decision on Nehru’s petition. The case therefore remains subject to further judicial proceedings, alongside the ongoing investigation.

M K Stalin accuses TVK government of political vendetta

DMK president M K Stalin sharply criticised the searches, describing them as “Vettri Vendetta Politics” by the TVK government. In a post on X, Stalin accused Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay of staging what he called a “raidshow” to divert public and media attention from the state’s law and order situation.

Stalin claimed that women, children and elderly people were unsafe in Tamil Nadu. These remarks formed part of his criticism of the government and were presented as political allegations rather than findings established by the DVAC investigation.

The DMK chief also accused the ruling party of selectively targeting former DMK ministers while accepting people he described as corrupt. Referring to the TVK, he used the phrase “TN Branch Washing Machine” to allege that the party was treating individuals differently depending on their political affiliations.

Stalin’s remarks framed the searches as part of a wider political dispute between the DMK and the TVK government. He questioned the government’s motives and argued that the operation was intended to generate political publicity rather than address public concerns.

Stalin links searches to Trichy East by-election

In his criticism, Stalin also alleged that the searches were intended to create “reels videos” ahead of the upcoming Trichy East by-election. He claimed the operation would give the chief minister an opportunity to deliver what he described as “punch dialogues” on stage.

Stalin rejected the suggestion that the searches would intimidate the DMK’s grassroots workers. “Even the toenail of a grassroots DMK cadre will not fear these raids,” he said.

He further criticised what he called the TVK government’s “rusted administration” and accused it of failing to address steep price rises. Stalin also claimed that the state government had become a subject of ridicule across the country.

The comments reflect the political tensions surrounding the investigation. While the DVAC searches concern allegations of recruitment-related bribery, Stalin has used the operation to challenge the government’s conduct and question its priorities.

The supplied information does not include a response from the TVK government to Stalin’s specific allegations. His claims about the motives behind the searches should therefore be distinguished from the stated investigative purpose of examining the alleged recruitment scam.

What is known about the alleged ₹634-crore recruitment scam?

The case centres on allegations that candidates were asked to pay bribes in exchange for government jobs in the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department during Nehru’s ministerial tenure. The alleged scam is valued at ₹634 crore, according to the case details provided.

The Enforcement Directorate reportedly flagged the suspected irregularities to state police in October 2025. Material supplied by the agency subsequently formed the basis for the Madras High Court’s direction to conduct a full investigation.

The DVAC has registered a case against Nehru and others and is examining documents and financial records at 25 locations across Tamil Nadu. The purpose of these searches is to collect evidence and investigate the suspected flow of money associated with the recruitment process.

Several important details remain unclear from the information available. It does not specify how many candidates were allegedly involved, how the ₹634-crore figure was calculated, how many appointments are under scrutiny or whether investigators have established a direct link between particular payments and individual accused persons.

Those questions will depend on the evidence gathered during the investigation and any findings disclosed through subsequent legal proceedings. The allegations should not be treated as proven merely because searches have taken place or a case has been registered.

What happens next in the Nehru case?

The immediate next steps involve the DVAC’s examination of the material gathered during its searches and the continuation of the court-directed investigation. Investigators will need to assess financial records and other evidence relevant to the alleged payments and recruitment irregularities.

At the same time, Nehru’s challenge to the Madras High Court’s October 26 order is before the Supreme Court through a special leave petition. Further developments in that proceeding could affect the legal course of the case, although the supplied information does not establish what the Supreme Court will decide.

The case has also become a point of political confrontation between the DMK and the TVK government. Stalin has portrayed the searches as politically motivated, while the stated purpose of the DVAC operation is to investigate alleged bribery linked to government recruitment.

For now, the central issue remains whether investigators can substantiate the allegations surrounding the ₹634-crore recruitment case. The searches mark a significant step in the inquiry, but the outcome will depend on the evidence, the progress of the investigation and the decisions of the courts.