CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed the state government and the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) to file their responses to a petition seeking the registration of a case in connection with allegations of bribery in appointments in the Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) department, based on a letter sent by the ED to the police.

During 2024–25, a total of 2,538 appointments, including assistant engineers, junior engineers, and sanitary inspectors, were made in the MAWS department. It has been alleged that bribes ranging from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 35 lakh per post were collected, amounting to Rs 34 crore. In this regard, the Enforcement Directorate had sent a letter to the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police (DGP) in October, seeking registration of a case.

K Athinarayanan, president, Maruthu Senai Society of Madurai, filed a petition before the Madras High Court, based on the letter, seeking directions to the Tamil Nadu DGP to obtain the necessary approval from the Chief Secretary and register a case.

He stated that the ED had sent a 232-page letter with supporting evidence. If credible information indicating the commission of a cognisable offence is received, it is the duty of the police to register a case.

As the Enforcement Directorate does not have direct jurisdiction to register corruption cases, it had sent the letter to the DGP requesting registration of a case. As no case has been registered, the ED has been unable to proceed with its investigation, the petition said.

It was further stated that despite sending a letter to the DGP in November seeking registration of a case to ensure transparent governance, no action had been taken.

After hearing the petition, the bench comprising Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan, directed the State government, the DGP and the Enforcement Directorate to file their counter-affidavit by January 23.