Tamil Nadu Minister for Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS), KN Nehru, has strongly denied allegations of corruption in the recent recruitment exams for 2,538 positions in the department.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had alleged a large-scale cash-for-jobs scam involving bribes ranging from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 35 lakh per post in the hiring process conducted in 2024-25.
In an official statement, Nehru condemned these accusations as politically motivated efforts aimed at tarnishing the reputation of the department and the Dravidian model government of DMK.
He emphasized that the recruitment process was conducted transparently and fairly by Anna University, a reputed autonomous institution, with examinations held across 591 centers in 38 districts and results published openly on the universityās official website.
Nehu pointed out that similar recruitment exercises had been conducted through Anna University during the previous AIADMK government without controversy. He added that over two lakh candidates had applied, with more than one lakh appearing for the exam, and that the appointments were based strictly on merit.R
Reiterating his commitment to a fair process, Nehru warned against attempts to malign the recruitment drive and declared that the department will take all necessary legal action to counter misinformation. This comes amid demands from opposition parties like AIADMK, BJP, and Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) for a thorough investigation by the CBI into the allegations raised by the ED.
The ministerās response seeks to clarify and defend the integrity of the recruitment process and dismiss the accusations as a political campaign against the current state government.
The ED, meanwhile, has urged the Tamil Nadu Police to register a First Information Report (FIR) to enable a detailed probe into the matter.