Madras high court orders DVAC case against municipal admin dept based on ED info

CHENNAI: In a setback to Tamil Nadu govt, Madras high court on Friday directed the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to register a case based on the information shared by Enforcement Directorate (ED) to the Tamil Nadu DGP, in connection with the alleged multi-crore corruption in the state municipal administration department.

“Incriminating materials were seized by ED, which included copies of hall tickets and details of communications shared among the brothers and other high-ranking personnel in the department who were closely connected to the sitting minister of the department; the same was shared with the DGP,” the first bench of Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan said.


“On the contrary, we find that under the guise of conducting a preliminary investigation, the state is embarking upon a mini trial,” the bench added. “The fact that, though the source information was shared on Oct 27, 2025, even after three-and-a-half months the same did not result in registration of a case, prima facie shows that the state, under the guise of conducting a preliminary enquiry, is not inclined to register a case,” the judges added.

“...though we are prima facie satisfied that the investigation could be entrusted to an independent agency, considering the fact that the DVAC was entrusted with the case by the state, we deem it appropriate that the DVAC should be directed to forthwith register a case and conduct a detailed investigation and take suitable further action based on the investigation report,” the court said.

The court passed the orders on the plea moved by ED and AIADMK MP I S Inbadurai. The issue pertains to a series of information shared by ED to the state DGP on the alleged multi-crore corruption in the municipal administration department, including allegations of irregularities in floating tenders, recruitment of about 2,538 candidates and corruption for transfers and postings in the department.

“The details shared and the materials available reveal that those candidates got selected pursuant to the alleged transactions, and when a large-scale corruption was stated to have happened involving several hundred crores of rupees, we find that the source material is sufficient to disclose commission of a cognisable offence,” the bench said.

“It is not a case where the authorities received a mere complaint which necessitated the state to conduct an enquiry through the vigilance department. In the case on hand, it is the detailed source information provided by ED with a voluminous set of evidence disclosing a cognisable offence,” the bench added.