Chennai: The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) has registered a case against former minister Nehru, his brothers and 10 others over alleged irregularities in tenders issued by the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department, involving works worth ₹1,020 crore.
Nehru, who served as minister for the department during the previous DMK government and is currently the Tiruchirappalli West MLA, has been named along with his brothers Manivannan and Ravichandran, his aide Kaviprasad, and former DMK MLAs including Sudharsanam and Ebenezer. Based on the FIR, DVAC conducted searches at 30 locations, including the residences of Nehru and his brothers, and seized 241 documents linked to the tender process.
According to the FIR, tenders issued during 2021–2025 allegedly caused loss to the government, while Nehru and others are said to have benefited. The case cites a 258-page report submitted by the Enforcement Directorate, which alleged that tender decisions were manipulated and that money was collected in the name of “party fund”.
Investigators allege that preferred contractors were identified even before tenders were floated, and that bribes amounting to 7.5% to 10% of tender values were collected. The FIR mentions instances including a ₹75-lakh tender allegedly steered through WhatsApp messages, a stormwater drain contract in Chennai Corporation where ₹55.15 lakh was allegedly collected as “party fund”, and alleged collections in municipalities in Coimbatore district and Tiruppur.
The FIR further claims that records from Manivannan’s mobile phone indicated receipt of ₹31.30 lakh, and that illegal money transfers were coordinated by Nehru’s brothers along with Raviprasad linked to a firm referred to as TVH. The DVAC investigation is continuing.
