CHENNAI: A casual recounting of an alleged bribery offer for a government post has landed School Education Minister A Rajmohan in trouble, with DMK legal wing joint secretary I Paranthaman lodging a complaint with the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) seeking registration of an FIR against the minister and others involved.
The remark also drew political criticism and a demand for action from the CPM and the AMMK.
Addressing a Tamil Nadu Formation Day function organised by the government on Sunday, Rajmohan claimed that an individual had offered him Rs 5 crore for the post of president of the Tamil Nadu Eyal Isai Nataka Mandram.
He said the offer was conveyed through A Loyola Mani, chairman of the Tamil Nadu Textbook and Educational Services Corporation. The minister claimed he laughed off the offer, remarking that Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay would not appoint an unsuitable person even for Rs 500 crore. The post was subsequently given to Pushpavanam Kuppusamy on October 5, 2026.
In his complaint dated November 2, handed over to the DVAC by party representatives, Paranthaman alleged that Rajmohan and Mani failed to report the offer to the DVAC or any other law enforcement agency, and withheld the identity of the offeror.
Paranthaman sought the registration of an FIR against the minister, Mani, the unidentified offeror and others under sections 8 (offence relating to bribing a public servant) and 12 (punishment for abetment of offences) of the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA), 1988, read with section 61 (criminal conspiracy) of the BNS, 2023, and section 7A of the PCA, if established during the investigation.
The complaint also sought the recording of statements, identification of the offeror, and seizure of the original, unedited footage of the minister’s speech, along with call records, messages and other electronic communications related to the alleged offer.
The DMK urged the DVAC to conduct a fair, impartial and time-bound investigation.
AMMK general secretary T T V Dhinakaran demanded stringent action against Rajmohan over the alleged Rs 5 crore offer. In a statement on X, he urged CM Vijay to disclose the identities of those involved and order a comprehensive investigation.
Alleging that Opposition leaders faced arrest over corruption and bribery charges while ruling party members enjoyed preferential treatment despite accusations of acting as intermediaries, Dhinakaran questioned whether the TVK government recognised that both giving and receiving bribes were offences.
Meanwhile, CPM state secretary P Shanmugam, in a post on X, said Rajmohan must reveal the identity of the person who made the offer and explain why no legal action was taken, stressing on the need for ministers to speak responsibly.
When contacted by TNIE, DVAC sources acknowledged receiving the complaint, but declined to comment further.