The Enforcement Directorate has written to the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police requesting a criminal investigation into alleged corruption in recruitment for Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department jobs conducted during 2024-25 and 2025-26. The agency claims bribes ranging from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 35 lakh per post were collected, with manipulation of exam results. The ED reportedly discovered this evidence during searches in April 2025 while investigating an unrelated bank fraud case linked to the brother of MAWS Minister K N Nehru. The ED has shared digital evidence including photos, messages, and documents suggesting involvement of public servants, politicians, and private individuals. However, the agency is not directly opening a money-laundering case and instead is asking state police to register an FIR first. The recruitment involved 2,538 posts with approximately 1.12 lakh applicants.
Evidence Uncovered During Separate Bank Fraud Investigation
The ED claims it found incriminating evidence while conducting searches in Chennai, Trichy, and Coimbatore in April 2025 related to an alleged bank fraud case. The searches were connected to firms associated with N Ravichandran, brother of Minister K N Nehru. According to the agency, digital evidence including WhatsApp chats, photographs, hawala notes, and cash transaction records point to systematic manipulation in the MAWS selection process. The Madras High Court recently quashed the ED's case over the bank fraud, ruling no crime occurred and no public officials were involved. The original bank fraud investigation stemmed from a 2021 CBI FIR filed on a complaint by Indian Overseas Bank regarding a diverted Rs 30 crore loan.
ED Seeks State Police Action Before Money-Laundering Probe
In its letter dated October 27, 2025, the ED invoked Section 66(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act to share information with state police rather than directly launching a money-laundering investigation. The agency explained it can only investigate money laundering after a scheduled offence is registered by a law enforcement agency. The ED has asked police to probe who had access to confidential exam data, involvement of Anna University officials who conducted the exams, and extent of marks manipulation. Chief Minister M K Stalin distributed appointment letters to about 2,500 candidates on August 6, 2025. The state government has denied any wrongdoing in the recruitment process.
Source: Link