CHENNAI: In a bureaucratic reshuffle, the state government on Friday appointed senior IAS officer A Karthik as the new Home Secretary and brought back Rajesh Lakhoni to head Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL), while also appointing a full-time director for the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) amid ongoing probes against several former DMK ministers.
A Karthik replaces K Manivasan, who will assume charge as the Commissioner of Land Administration, a post hitherto held by Rajesh Lakhoni.
Manivasan was appointed as Home Secretary by the ECI during the April Assembly elections, and the TVK government had retained him in the key position. His transfer comes in the backdrop of increasing law and order issues. Besides, V Arun Roy, CMD of TNEB/TNPDCL (and chairman of the three other power companies), has been transferred and posted as Secretary, Finance (Expenditure), replacing N Venkatesh, who will take over as the new Secretary to the Agriculture Department — a portfolio additionally held by N Subbaiyan.
Lakhoni, who will take over as the CMD of TNPDCL (Chennai), will also function as Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Power Generation Corporation, Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation and Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation. The state government’s decision to bring back Lakhoni to TNEB assumes significance considering the recent power outages across the state. Lakhoni headed Tamil Nadu’s power-sector organisations from May 17, 2021, to October 2024, serving as the CMD of TNEB Limited and Tangedco, and as Chairman of TANTRANSCO. He later held additional charge of the TNPGCL and Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation.
Meanwhile, senior IPS officer Prem Anand Sinha has been appointed DVAC director, filling the post which had remained vacant since July. The order also stated that Chennai Police Commissioner A Amalraj, who was the Tambaram commissioner from 2022 to 2024, would hold full additional charge of the Tambaram Police Commissionerate until further orders. Sinha, who was serving as Additional Director General of Police (ADGP)/Commissioner of Police, Tambaram, took charge of the commissionerate in June 2026.
The DVAC director’s post had remained without a full-time incumbent since July 13, when Arun was transferred to the Tamil Nadu Police Academy at Oonamanchery, less than two months after his May 25 appointment to head the agency. C Mageshwari had been holding additional charge of the DVAC.
On September 24, N Kannan, the Coimbatore Police Commissioner, and Arun were placed on compulsory wait in connection with a 2024 complaint against Gem Granites chairman R Veeramani. Arun was the Chennai Police Commissioner when the complaint was filed.
On Thursday, the state government had transferred V Sivakrishnamurthy, Joint Managing Director of the TWAD Board, and posted him as Theni Collector, replacing R Vaithinathan who will take over as the Joint Managing Director of the TWAD Board. Further, R Saranya, Commissioner of Avadi Corporation, will take over as the Commissioner of Tambaram Corporation. Hitherto, she was holding additional charge as the Tambaram Corporation Commissioner. L Ambica Jain, Sub-collector, Cheyyar, has been appointed as the Commissioner of Avadi Corporation. The government has transferred nine IAS officers in the last two days.