The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on Thursday searched 25 locations across Tamil Nadu, including the residence of former DMK minister KN Nehru in Tiruchirappalli and his brother’s house in Chennai, as part of an investigation into an alleged Rs 634 crore cash-for-jobs scam.
The searches began days after the Madras High Court cleared the way for the anti-corruption agency to investigate allegations of irregularities in recruitment to government posts during the previous DMK government’s tenure. The case centres on allegations that money was collected from candidates in exchange for jobs in the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department when Nehru was the minister in charge.
In Tiruchirappalli, a DVAC team led by a deputy superintendent of police began searching Nehru’s residence in Thillai Nagar around 7 am, according to the report. Nehru was present when the search started, police sources said. DMK workers gathered outside the residence as the operation continued.
DVAC officials also searched the residence of Nehru’s brother in RA Puram, Chennai. Other premises linked to Nehru and his associates were searched across the state. Investigators are examining documents and other materials that could help establish suspected financial transactions and identify people allegedly involved in the recruitment process.
The allegations concern appointments to government posts under the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department, a portfolio closely connected to the functioning of urban local bodies and public utilities. Recruitment-related corruption can affect not only applicants who may have paid money but also the integrity of the staff responsible for delivering municipal services, although the present investigation has not established any guilt.
The searches form the second round of DVAC operations at premises linked to Nehru since September. The earlier searches covered his residence and other locations in Chennai and related to alleged irregularities in contracts awarded by the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department between 2021 and 2025.
The latest operation follows the High Court’s decision permitting the anti-corruption agency to proceed with its investigation into the recruitment allegations. The searches are intended to gather material for the inquiry; they do not by themselves establish criminal liability against Nehru or any other person. Further action will depend on the documents, financial records and other evidence examined by the agency.
