CHENNAI: In a setback to senior DMK leader and former minister KN Nehru, the Madras High Court has refused to review its earlier order to the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to register an FIR forthwith into the alleged cash-for-jobs scam in the municipal administration and water supply department committed during his tenure in the previous DMK government.
The first bench of Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan on Monday dismissed the petition filed by the former minister praying for the court to review the Feb. 20, 2026 order to register the FIR based on the communication sent to the DGP by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on the alleged scam in appointing 2,538 engineers and other staff to the department.
The then government, led by the DMK, also preferred a review petition in the court, but after the change of regime, the TVK government sought to withdraw the review petition.
The state also informed the court that an FIR was registered on June 5, 2026 as per directions of the court.
The Feb. 20 order to register FIR forthwith was passed on the petition filed by AIADMK MP IS Inbadurai. Since the FIR was not registered, he filed a contempt of court action seeking to punish the officer heading the DVAC. In the meantime, the state and KN Nehru filed the review petitions.
The bench on Monday closed the contempt petition of Inbadurai, dismissed Nehru’s review petition and permitted the state to withdraw its review petition.
The main ground raised by Nehru was that he was not given an opportunity by the court before passing the order since the order would consequently affect him.
Advocate General (AG) Vijay Narayan, representing the state, and senior counsels Siddharth Luthra and PH Arvindh Pandian, appearing for Nehru and his two brothers, advanced the arguments.
During the hearing, the AG countered the contentions of the counsels for the former minister seeking review of the order on the ground that he was not given an opportunity of being heard before the order was passed.
He said Nehru was well aware of the proceedings of the case and could have engaged a lawyer, at least on the day he was issued notice, and told the bench he should be given an opportunity.
Stating that the Enforcement Directorate had communicated materials on the scam, the AG said the then government was shielding Nehru but there is no such need for the present government.
The AG also alleged that about 2,800 people were appointed illegally by collecting money ranging from Rs. 30 lakh to Rs. 40 lakhs.
However, Siddharth Luthra and Arvindh Pandian objected to the submission, stating that such an allegation is a misconception and neither the DVAC nor the senior counsel appearing for the agency made such an allegation.
