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Chennai, Oct 29 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has written to the Tamil Nadu Police, alleging a large-scale cash-for-jobs scam in recruitment to 2,538 posts in the state’s Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) department.
The agency has claimed that “bribes” ranging between Rs 25 lakh and Rs 35 lakh per post were allegedly taken from candidates in exchange for appointments.
In its communication to the Head of Police Force (HOPF) under Section 66(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the ED said the selection process of assistant engineers, town planning officers, junior engineers and sanitary inspectors was rigged in mid-2024.
The agency alleged that powerful politicians and their associates manipulated the examination process to benefit at least 150 candidates.
According to officials, the ED’s findings are based on MAWS Minister KN Nehru’s brother N. The allegations stem from evidence unearthed during a money laundering investigation in a bank fraud case involving a real estate firm linked to Ravichandran.
The investigation has reportedly revealed money trails and communications that suggest diversion of funds towards recruitment rackets.
The central agency has also handed over a detailed 232-page dossier to the police, which names several suspected middlemen and officials involved in the alleged scam.
The dossier outlines the modus operandi of examination manipulation, details of candidates who benefited and a series of bribe transactions through multiple middlemen.
The ED has urged the Tamil Nadu Police to launch a comprehensive investigation against the accused, which also includes some officials of Anna University, which conducted the recruitment exam.
When contacted, MAWS Secretary D. Karthikeyan said he was not aware of the ED communication.
“The recruitment was done in a transparent manner and to my knowledge there were no irregularities,” he said.
The recruitment drive, in which over 1.12 lakh applicants competed for 2,538 posts, was considered one of the biggest recruitment drives of the government this year. The latest ED communication has now thrown the process into doubt, sparking fresh political controversy in Tamil Nadu.
–IANS
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