A leaked audio clip purportedly featuring two DMK ward secretaries threatening a Chennai Metro Water assistant engineer over a domestic water connection in Purasaiwalkam has triggered serious allegations of extortion, political intimidation, and systemic corruption in the city’s civic services.
The controversy revolves around a newly constructed house on Sundaram Lane in the Purasawalkam area (Ward 99). According to reports, the homeowner had legally obtained a Metro Water connection. However, the audio suggests that local DMK ward secretaries, identified as R.M. Ranganathan (Ward 89) and Sekar (Ward 90), intervened because they had not received an illicit payment. It is alleged that they pressured a Metro Water engineer to pause or revoke the newly granted connection at a house on Sundaram Lane.
Leaked Audio Reveals Direct Threats
In the audio, a voice identified as Ranganathan is heard berating the engineer for issuing the connection: “Be careful, sir, you’re doing something very wrong. It won’t end well. You’ve just joined—if we make use of our two letter pads tomorrow, you’ll be punished.”
He is heard repeatedly demanding that the ongoing work be stopped, saying he is “roaming on the line” in the area and questioning “who gave you so much courage.”
“What a foolish thing you’ve done… who gave you so much courage, sir? Did a councillor tell you?”
They go on to insist that the connection was given without proper basis, and the most direct threats follow: “We will get the minister to ensure you don’t stay in peace… You will be disgraced with Metro Water itself.”
He also refers to prior neighbourhood demands, claiming residents “insisted a lot,” and that he had photos ready to send to higher officials “to safeguard your job.”
BJP President Slams DMK, Calls It ‘Commission Culture’
Releasing the audio, BJP state president Nainar Nagendran claimed the incident reflected a “commission-driven mindset” entrenched within the ruling DMK. He alleged, “A commission model that threatens the officer who performs his duty—government! An audio recording has surfaced that is shocking: in Chennai’s Purasaivakkam area, two DMK circle secretaries openly threatening an assistant engineer because residents who received Metro Water connections are not paying bribes. Moreover, it is highly condemnable that they have threatened the government employee by saying that to safeguard his job, he must immediately disconnect the connection. Furthermore, openly and vulgarly threatening that if the connection is not disconnected, “We’ll get the minister to screw you” and “I’ll destroy Metro Water”—this reveals the collective arrogance of DMK members. On one side, DMK ministers who fail to provide the people with any basic amenities and merely sing the praises of Gopalapuram; on the other side, DMK brethren who threaten government employees who properly perform their duties, force them to stop work, and plan to siphon off the people’s money through bribes and commissions. The DMK, which thus bands together in a single line to loot and plunder Tamil Nadu, is a danger to all of us!”
கடமையைச் செய்யும் அதிகாரியை மிரட்டும் கமிஷன் மாடல் அரசு!
சென்னை புரசைவாக்கம் பகுதியில் மெட்ரோ வாட்டர் இணைப்பு பெற்ற குடியிருப்பாளர்களிடமிருந்து லஞ்சம் வராததால், உதவிப் பொறியாளருக்குத் திமுக வட்டச் செயலாளர்கள் இருவர் பகிரங்கமாக மிரட்டல் விடுக்கும் ஒலிப்பதிவு வெளியாகியுள்ளது… pic.twitter.com/wAGTDM7sAr
— Nainar Nagenthran (@NainarBJP) November 24, 2025
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