Signalling a tough stance against corruption within the government machinery, the Joseph Vijay-led Tamil Nadu government has intensified disciplinary action against officials facing vigilance investigations, with 15 Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) officials suspended over the past two weeks following surprise raids by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) that allegedly uncovered incriminating evidence of corruption, as reported in Times of India.
According to official sources, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay recently directed Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner Dr. G.S. Sameeran to continue initiating dismissal proceedings and stringent disciplinary action against officials found involved in corrupt practices. Officials said the government’s objective was to send a strong message that corruption would not be tolerated while simultaneously addressing departmental concerns to ensure the morale of honest government employees was not affected.
The most significant action followed a DVAC raid conducted on July 3 at the Thiru Vi Ka Nagar zonal office, where a nine-member vigilance team acted on specific intelligence alleging corrupt practices. Following the search, the agency registered an FIR on July 6 against Executive Engineer R. Saravanan and Assistant Engineer T. Saraswathi, who was attached to Ward 74, represented by Chennai Mayor R. Priya.
According to the FIR, the DVAC recovered unaccounted cash, gold jewellery, tax invoices and documents relating to multiple gold savings schemes from Saravanan’s office. Among the seized documents were records showing a gold savings plan requiring monthly instalments of ₹25,000 for 246 months, besides another scheme involving monthly instalments of ₹5,000 for 182 months, allegedly in the name of Saraswathi.
Investigators also seized foreign liquor worth ₹32,000 from Saravanan’s office cupboard. According to the FIR, Saravanan told investigators that the liquor bottles had been received as gifts from contractors. The DVAC, however, treated the recovery as evidence suggesting receipt of undue advantage.
The agency further recovered documents relating to Saraswathi’s housing loan from Saravanan’s official vehicle. A scrutiny of Saravanan’s bank accounts covering the period between January 1 and June 30 this year allegedly revealed unexplained cash deposits amounting to ₹10.61 lakh, officials said.
During the nearly nine-hour search operation, DVAC officers attempted to question Saraswathi regarding investments allegedly made in her name. The FIR stated that she left the search proceedings without obtaining the agency’s consent.
After being summoned by the DVAC, Saraswathi reportedly informed investigators that she had attended a meeting on the Otteri Nullah canal development project at the office of the Joint Commissioner (Works) in Ripon Buildings. However, the vigilance agency stated that verification with the concerned zonal officer established that she had not attended the meeting.
The DVAC said it was not satisfied with Saraswathi’s explanation and alleged that she had concealed incriminating facts by evading the search proceedings. Investigators examined 14 pages of her Google Pay transaction records and found ₹1.71 lakh in unexplained digital transactions over the previous six months, following which she was also named in the FIR.
Officials involved in the investigation said they were examining investments allegedly made by the Executive Engineer in the name of the Assistant Engineer as well as identifying individuals behind the financial transactions. According to the officials, the accused officers were unable to satisfactorily explain the source of the funds, and the agency intended to complete the investigation within two months before finalising service removal proceedings.
The vigilance agency also booked Assistant Executive Engineer (Town Planning) Ravivarman, who worked in the same office, after examining his digital payment records and allegedly finding ₹2.39 lakh in unexplained Google Pay transactions during the previous six months.
In addition, the DVAC noted that the Thiru Vi Ka Nagar zonal office did not maintain a personal cash register to monitor internal cash circulation among officials, a lapse that investigators recorded during the inquiry.
Four other Corporation employees were also suspended after the raids. They include Junior Assistant Manikandan, Superintendent Accountant A. Sriramulu, Sanitary Officer A. Manjith, and Conservancy Inspector R. Kothandan from the Thiru Vi Ka Nagar and Teynampet zones. According to the DVAC, the officials were found in possession of a cumulative ₹1.39 lakh in unexplained cash during the searches.
Government sources said the Chief Minister had instructed department heads to ensure that action against corruption remained uncompromising. At the same time, they said the government was also working to resolve issues relating to salaries, pensions and promotions so that honest government employees were not demoralised while disciplinary action was taken against those accused of corruption.
#DVAC surprise raids put @chennaicorp officials in soup, 15 officials suspended in last two weeks after #DVAC raids found “incriminating evidences of corruption.”
Chief minister C Joseph Vijay had recently directed GCC commissioner Dr GS Sameeran to continue initiating… pic.twitter.com/opaCsrBos2
— Omjasvin M D (@omjasvinMD) July 19, 2026
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