CHENNAI: The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on Friday told the Principal Sessions Court in Chennai that it would reinvestigate the Rs 27.9 crore bribery case against former minister and DMK MLA R Vaithilingam.
Several opposition parties, including BJP and AIADMK, had heavily criticised the then DMK government for “washing machine” politics after the DVAC sought to close the case shortly after Vaithilingam joined DMK in January 2026.
The case pertains to an FIR registered against Vaithilingam for allegedly accepting the bribe from a private housing promoter in exchange for planning permission to raise additional housing units at a site in Perungalathur.
The alleged bribe was paid when he was serving as the housing minister between 2011 and 2016 in the AIADMK government led by former CM J Jayalalithaa.
Investigators may review docus, records from earlier probe
The DVAC had filed the closure report in the court in February this year, shortly after Vaithilingam resigned his MLA post, quit the AIADMK and joined the DMK.
DVAC director A Arun has now ordered a fresh probe, directing investigators to examine the allegations in detail and also look into the reasons behind the earlier closure.
While the Enforcement Directorate had filed a petition against the closure of the case, Arappor Iyakkam, an anti-corruption NGO, had moved the Chennai court seeking a copy of the closure report.
Principal Sessions Court Judge S Karthikeyan on Friday adjourned the case to June 29.DVAC sources told TNIE that the investigators may review documents and records collected during the previous probe as part of the fresh inquiry.
