The Tamil Nadu opposition has leveled serious accusations against the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government, alleging widespread corruption in the hiring process for 2,538 positions within the Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) department. These allegations stem from a letter issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on October 27th to the Tamil Nadu police. The ED claims that bribes ranging from ₹25 lakh to ₹35 lakh per post were collected for these appointments.
According to the ED’s letter, evidence of this corruption was uncovered during an investigation into a bank fraud that began in April. The agency found incriminating digital evidence, including photos, WhatsApp chats, and documents, on devices seized during search operations. This evidence reportedly indicates significant manipulation in the recent selection and examination process for MAWS staff.
The ED’s findings suggest that public servants, politicians, and their associates were involved in this alleged scam. The agency has termed the collected evidence as indicative of corruption, cheating, and money laundering, stating that it is merely the “tip of the iceberg” of a larger problem within the MAWS department. The ED has forwarded this evidence to the Tamil Nadu police for further investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Reacting to the allegations, opposition parties AIADMK and BJP have called it an ₹800 crore corruption scandal and targeted the Water Supply Minister, K N Nehru. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi Palaniswami claimed that Minister Nehru, his brothers, and officials were involved in collecting bribes. BJP state president K Annamalai has demanded a CBI investigation into the matter.
However, Minister K N Nehru dismissed the allegations as a politically motivated campaign orchestrated by the central government in anticipation of the upcoming assembly elections. He clarified that the recruitment process began in 2019 under the previous AIADMK government. Nehru stated that 100,000 candidates appeared for the exams, which were evaluated by Anna University, and no complaints were received, asserting the fairness of the process.