The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has sent a third letter to the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police, alleging that bribes amounting to ₹365.87 crore were collected for the transfer and posting of government officers and engineers in the State’s Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) Department led by DMK Minister KN Nehru.
In its communication dated 14 January 2026, the ED stated that it had analysed incriminating material recovered from digital devices seized during search operations conducted in April 2025. According to the agency, the seized material included photographs, WhatsApp conversations, documents and transfer orders, which were cross-linked during analysis. The ED said the evidence pointed to multiple instances of bribes being collected in exchange for transfers and postings of MAWS department officials.
The agency claimed that the detailed report showed bribe amounts ranging from ₹7 lakh to ₹1 crore per transfer. It also provided details of around 340 officers and engineers whose transfer and posting orders were allegedly found stored on the seized devices. The ED asserted that the material constituted direct evidence of money laundering involving proceeds of crime totalling ₹365.87 crore.
In its letter, the ED said the evidence discussed was only a small part of a much larger transfer-and-posting scam operating within government departments. It added that the material was uncovered incidentally during investigations in an unrelated case against certain individuals.
The ED further warned that failure to register a First Information Report (FIR) based on the evidence provided would amount to assisting the accused. It emphasised that Section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) is stringent and applies to anyone who knowingly assists in the generation or handling of proceeds of crime.
The latest allegations add to a series of cases linked to the MAWS Department. Previous dossiers submitted by central agencies have referred to an alleged “cash-for-jobs” scam involving ₹888 crore and a “bribes-for-contracts” scam amounting to ₹1,020 crore. The current case has been described by the ED as a “bribes-for-transfers” racket.
Cash-for-Jobs Scam – ₹888 crore.
Bribes-for-Contracts Scam – ₹1,020 crore.And now, yet another disgraceful chapter: Bribes-for-Transfers Scam. Third dossier submitted to TN DGP for action!
These stand as the defining achievements of the DMK government’s Municipal…
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) January 20, 2026
The agency has urged the Tamil Nadu Police to initiate criminal proceedings based on the material submitted. However, no FIR has been registered so far.
Source: Times of India
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