CHENNAI: The State would approach the Supreme Court against the stay on further proceedings and investigation in the DVAC case relating to alleged irregularities in Tasmac tenders and other transactions, the government informed the Madras High Court, adding that the matter was likely to come up for hearing in October.

The case stems from a complaint lodged by N Elaiyaraja, an MLA of the ruling TVK, alleging that he was offered Rs 35 crore to vote against the Speaker during a proposed no-confidence motion. The whole operation was orchestrated by former minister and DMK leader V Senthilbalaji, the TVK had alleged.

Based on the complaint, the Triplicane police registered a case and arrested 14 people. Among them, three people, including one Ramesh, moved the High Court seeking transfer of the probe from the State police to the CBI, contending that they would not receive a fair and impartial investigation.

Following this, the court stayed the entire proceedings and the investigation by the Triplicane police in the alleged horse-trading case.
Meanwhile, the DVAC booked another case over several transactions between 2020 and 2025, including bar tenders across six districts, transport tenders for 45 depots, demand drafts, dealings between bottle suppliers and distilleries, brand approvals, and transfers of Tasmac officials. Senthilbalaji, Ramesh, and 5 others are among the seven people against whom the DVAC registered the FIR.

Following his arrest, Ramesh filed a quash petition in the DVAC case, too. After hearing the plea, the court had stayed further proceedings and the investigation against him.

When the matter came up before a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan, the government informed the court that it would file an appeal before the Supreme Court and that the matter would come up for hearing in October.

Following that, the bench posted them to November 23 and extended the interim order.