According to the agency, the list of accused includes Senthilbalaji; former managing director of Tasmac, S Visakan, who was shunted out to Science City as its vice-chairman after the TVK-led government came to power; a serving IPS officer’s brother Rathesh Raj, who was very influential when the DMK was ruling the State; two former senior regional managers; Senthilbalaji’s former personal assistant; and others.

They all entered into a criminal conspiracy, abused their official positions, and caused substantial loss to the government exchequer by manipulating Tasmac's procurement and licensing processes, the DVAC alleged.

'Closed' bars functioned without renewing licences

According to the FIR, revenue to the government from sales through Tasmac retail shops increased significantly year after year. However, in contrast, revenue from bars attached to the shops declined sharply.

In Coimbatore, the Nilgiris, Tirupur, Erode, Namakkal, and Karur districts, 284 of the 857 Tasmac bars were officially shown as closed. However, these bars continued to operate on the ground without renewal of their licences, it alleged.

As per government instructions, any bar that fail to submit the monthly demand draft should have been closed and a fresh tender should be floated. However, the FIR alleges that district managers and other Tasmac officials colluded with bar owners and failed to follow the prescribed procedures, resulting in a revenue loss of Rs 17.27 crore in Coimbatore North, Rs 13.58 crore in Coimbatore South, and Rs 1.95 crore in Nilgiris during 2022-23.

The Karur gang

According to the FIR, all the bars in Karur district were allegedly run by Mulanoor Karthik and his associates, who allegedly formed an organised crime syndicate. It further alleges that politically connected persons in Coimbatore, Karur, and other districts collected party funds from bar owners, and that the syndicate came to be known as the "Karur Gang".

What is Rathesh Raj's role?

The FIR describes Rathesh Raj as a central figure, who allegedly operated as a power broker in Tamil Nadu's liquor administration ecosystem. It alleges that S Visakan, the then managing director of Tasmac, acted on Rathesh Raj's directions, allegedly based on instructions from the then minister Senthilbalaji.

According to the FIR, Rathesh Raj exercised direct and undue influence over official decision-making in Tasmac. It alleges that he issued informal but authoritative directions relating to the approval of liquor brands, manipulation of bar licence tenders, and administrative transfers, including those involving DRO-level officers.

The FIR further alleges that senior Tasmac officials, including Visakan, favoured a few distillery companies by supplying liquor from these selected manufacturers even when retailers had not placed any demand for those brands, indicating favouritism and corrupt practices.

It also alleges that Tasmac outlets collected amounts in excess of the MRP, charging up to Rs 500 extra for foreign liquor and between Rs 10 and Rs 100 above the MRP for other liquor brands between 2021 and 2025 in an organised manner.

Though AIADMK announced that the meetings were aimed at reviewing the reasons for the electoral setback, party sources claimed the discussions largely revolved around identifying supporters and detractors within the organisation rather than analysing the defeat.

According to party sources, several functionaries cited the lack of unity within the AIADMK and the failure to bring back leaders who had left the party as key reasons for the defeat. However, they claimed Palaniswami did not permit an in-depth discussion on these issues.

Instead, the meetings focused largely on preparations for the upcoming local body elections and Assembly bypolls. Palaniswami urged office-bearers to work together to ensure the party performs strongly in the forthcoming elections, the sources said.

The sources added that when some functionaries complained that certain AIADMK leaders had not worked effectively during the Assembly polls, Palaniswami dismissed those allegations.

Party insiders further claimed that the meetings were primarily intended to gauge who remained loyal to Palaniswami and who did not. Based on the feedback, he is expected to reshuffle the organisational structure by removing those perceived to be opposed to him and appointing loyalists to key posts before convening the party's executive committee meeting in August, the sources said.

Among those who attended the meetings were MLAs who had publicly differed with Palaniswami after the elections, including Ko Hari (Tiruttani), K Mohan (Panruti) and Maragatham Vetrivel (Pappireddipatti). However, senior leaders SP Velumani, CVe Shanmugam and KP Anbalagan did not attend the meetings.

Sources told DT Next that the government would announce this reform in the forthcoming Assembly session.

The proposed reform will cover the issuance of key revenue certificates, including community, income, nativity, widow, legal heir, residence, deserted woman, and unmarried certificates, all of which are processes where there are constant complaints of inordinate delays the Kafkaesque lower-level bureaucracy and rampant corruption.

According to government officials, the move is aimed at streamlining the existing process and cutting down the time taken to issue certificates.

At present, applications submitted through e-Seva Centres are forwarded to the Village Administrative Officer (VAO) for field verification, followed by the first-level scrutiny by the revenue inspector and then the headquarters deputy tahsildar/deputy tahsildar, before it finally reaches the tahsildar, who is the signing authority.

Under the proposed system, the deputy tahsildar stage will be dispensed with. Applications will be verified by the VAO and revenue inspector before being sent directly to the tahsildar for approval.

Officials said the simplified procedure is expected to reduce delays, improve administrative efficiency, and enable citizens to obtain certificates within a shorter time.

Even as it welcomed the proposal, the Tamil Nadu Village Administrative Officers' Association has sought further simplification.

Association State president R Arulraj said the government could even consider a two-step process, where applications are verified either by the VAO or the revenue inspector and approved directly by the tahsildar, eliminating one more intermediate stage.

The government is expected to formally announce the revised procedure during the upcoming Assembly session as part of its efforts to strengthen citizen-centric governance and improve the delivery of revenue services.

REVENUE CERTIFICATES COVERED

• Community Certificate

• Income Certificate

• Nativity Certificate

• Residence Certificate

• Legal Heir Certificate

• Widow Certificate

• Deserted Woman Certificate

• Unmarried Certificate

Present procedure

VAO -> revenue inspector -> headquarters deputy tahsildar/deputy tahsildar -> tahsildar (final authority)

Proposed procedure

VAO -> revenue inspector -> tahsildar

Seven of the injured are currently undergoing treatment in the ICU at the Thanjavur Medical College Hospital, they said.

The incident occurred around 2 am at the thatched residence of Murugayan, a local farmer from the Lakshmipuram area.

According to eyewitnesses, the fire broke out in the thatched structure at Chinna Ammankudi near Thiruvonam while the family was asleep. Neighbours noticed the flames, alerted the family to evacuate, and rushed to douse the blaze using water.

While several local men gathered around the structure to control the flames, an LPG cooking cylinder kept inside the thatched kitchen area unexpectedly exploded.

The impact of the blast injured Murugayan, his daughter Abhinaya, and several neighbours who were assisting in the firefighting efforts. They were identified as Kasinathan, Rajasekhar, Palanivel, Vembaiyan, Kalaiyarasi, Bhuvaneshwaran, Selvaraj and Kaliammal.

Recounting the incident, Durgadevi, a local resident, told PTI Videos that neighbours woke them up after seeing the thatched house on fire.

"We rushed our children outside to safety while the men brought water to put out the fire. No one knew a cylinder was inside, and it suddenly exploded," she said, adding that some of the injured suffered over 80 per cent burn injuries.

Firefighters from Karambakudi arrived at the scene and rescued the victims. Three of the injured were admitted to the Pattukottai Government Hospital, while seven critically injured individuals were transferred via 108 ambulances to the Thanjavur Medical College Hospital, where they remain in intensive care.

The Thiruvonam police have registered a case and initiated an investigation into the accident.

Police personnel have been deployed to maintain security at the Thanjavur Medical College Hospital emergency department as large crowds of relatives gathered following the incident.

Friendship blossoms into love

According to a Thanthi TV bulletin, Kayalvizhi, a transgender actor from Tiruchengode in Namakkal district, met Praveen Raj, an IT professional from Morai village in Avadi taluk of Tiruvallur district, on Instagram around seven years ago. What began as a friendship blossomed into love after the two remained friends for the first two years.

Despite strong opposition from Praveen's family, he stood by Kayalvizhi and refused to give up on their relationship.

Kayalvizhi has appeared in Tamil films, including Thotram, Raavana Raman and Kandhan Malai, and is currently acting in the web series Toxic and Party.

Couple faced stiff opposition

The couple said they faced considerable opposition and harassment from family members, relatives and friends. They also said that several attempts were made to separate them, leading to frequent problems and arguments within their families. After being together for several years, the couple decided that they should not delay their marriage any further.

Couple's dream to adopt children

On July 28, 2026, the couple solemnised a self-respect marriage with thte help of Manitham Law Foundation in Gobichettipalayam, Erode district. The couple said their biggest dream is to adopt orphaned children, provide them with a good education and help them secure good jobs in the future.

Citing the prosecution's allegation of causing loss to the exchequer against Senthil Balaji, Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan said custodial questioning is necessary.

In his order, the judge said all the officials, who were close associates of Accused-1 Senthil Balaji, abused their official position and entered into a criminal conspiracy and committed the offences.

By various means of manipulation, they obtained undue advantage and caused huge loss to the public exchequer, the judge added.

The DVAC in its FIR stated that Senthil Balaji entered into a criminal conspiracy to manipulate TASMAC's functioning by rigging bar and transport tenders, favouring few select liquor manufacturers, resulting in overpricing of liquor, and causing financial loss to the public exchequer.

The DVAC registered an FIR against seven accused.

The FIR against Senthil Balaji, former TASMAC Managing Director S Visakan and five others was for alleged misappropriation, manipulation of procurement and tender processes in allotting bar licences, transport tenders, and bogus and inflated transactions by certain distilleries and bottling firms.

Senthil Balaji's close associates Rathesh Raj Shanmugavel and S Karthik (alias Mulanoor Karthik), his former personal assistant Bhaskar, former TASMAC officials R Ramadurai Murugan and R Paneerselvam were the five other accused persons.

The FIR highlighted the operation of an alleged organised syndicate known as the "Karur gang", allegedly controlled by Karthik.

Allegedly, the syndicate ran all liquor bars in Karur district and coerced officials into allotting bar licenses across Tamil Nadu to their favoured candidates.

The FIR also states that the investigators uncovered extensive fraud in transport tenders awarded for 45 TASMAC depots.

In one instance, 9 out of 16 EMD Demand Drafts submitted by an applicant were illegally retained and reused by Senior Regional Managers to improperly grant transport depot contracts to rival firms.

The FIR also detailed a systematic cash-kickback scheme involving tens of crores, where bottle supply companies generated bogus or inflated invoices for distilleries.

TASMAC retail shops systematically collected excess amounts over the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) from consumers in an organised manner, overcharging between Rs 10 and Rs 100 for standard liquor and up to Rs 500 for foreign liquor, the FIR stated.

The case has been registered under Sections 120B, 167, 409, 109, and 420 of the IPC, corresponding provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 (including Sections 61(2), 201, 316(5), 49, and 318(4)), and Sections 7(c), 12, 13(1)(a), and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018).

After deducting a commission, supplier firms returned illicit cash to distilleries, which was then used to pay kickbacks to TASMAC officials to secure liquor supply orders.

According to the DVAC, private individual Rathesh Raj Shanmugavel functioned as an unauthorised power broker in Tamil Nadu's liquor administration ecosystem.

According to the investigators, acting on instructions from Senthi Balaji, Shanmugavel directed Visakan on key administrative decisions, including liquor brand approvals, bar tender manipulation, and official transfers.

Senthil Balaji represents Coimbatore South in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

According to a Government Order issued by the Revenue and Disaster Management Department on July 28, the committee has been constituted under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, to advise the Tamil Nadu Disaster Risk Reduction Agency (TNDRRA) on scientific and precautionary measures.

The move follows a proposal from the Commissioner of Revenue Administration and State Relief Commissioner, who warned of a high probability of a severe El Nino event developing in 2026. The government noted that the phenomenon could lead to below-normal southwest monsoon rainfall, reduced inflows into the Cauvery and other irrigation systems, and an increased likelihood of extreme weather events, including heavy rainfall and flooding during the northeast monsoon.

The committee will be chaired by the Additional Commissioner of Revenue Administration and State Relief Commissioner and comprises seven experts from institutions, including Anna University, IIT Madras, WRI India, the Tamil Nadu Green Climate Company, the Tamil Nadu Marine Research Foundation, the Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute, and Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services Limited (TNUIFSL).

The panel has been tasked with monitoring rainfall patterns and drought conditions, identifying vulnerable areas, strengthening early warning systems, and recommending measures to mitigate the impact of droughts and floods. It will also suggest strategies to enhance the State's disaster preparedness and resilience.

The committee will function during 2026-27 and 2027-28. Members will not be paid sitting fees or travel allowances, though the government has stated that such payments may be considered in future based on a proposal from the Revenue Administration Department.

The vacancies in Southern Railway span key operational categories, including Assistant Loco Pilots (ALPs), technicians, junior engineers, track maintainers, pointsmen, ticketing and commercial staff, Railway Protection Force personnel, paramedical staff and ministerial posts.

According to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw's written reply in the Lok Sabha, 6,927 posts were notified for Southern Railway in 2024, followed by 3,412 in 2025 and 1,048 this year, taking the total number of vacancies under recruitment to 11,387.

The minister said Indian Railways has recruited 5.56 lakh employees since 2014 up to June 30, 2026, compared with 4.11 lakh recruitments during the preceding decade. Of these, 50,485 appointments were made in Southern Railway.

He said recruitment is a continuous exercise as vacancies arise due to retirements, expansion of the railway network, technological changes and operational requirements. The ministry also pointed to the introduction of an annual recruitment calendar from 2024 to provide predictable recruitment cycles and faster appointments.

The reply further noted that nearly 4.5 crore candidates appeared for computer-based examinations conducted during the 2024 and 2025 recruitment cycles. The panels for more than 3,300 candidates have already been finalized during 2026, most of them in safety-related categories.

Speaking on the Mekedatu dam issue after reports indicated that Karnataka's detailed project report was returned for failing to conform with the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal Award and Supreme Court judgments, Elangovan emphasised that "nobody else can intervene once a tribunal is appointed."

Reacting to a proposed meeting with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and his Karnataka counterpart D K Shivakumar over the dispute, the DMK spokesperson dismissed the effort as a "show off".

"What is the use of talking to the Karnataka Chief Minister? He is firm that he is going to build a dam across Mekedatu," Elangovan told PTI Videos, adding that appeals should instead be directed to the tribunal to halt construction rather than holding talks.

Two weekly express trains cancelled

The Yesvantpur–Mangaluru Central Weekly Express (Train No. 16565) scheduled to operate on August 2 and the Mangaluru Central–Yesvantpur Weekly Express (Train No. 16566) scheduled for August 3 have been cancelled.

Changes to Vande Bharat services

The KSR Bengaluru–Ernakulam Junction Vande Bharat Express (Train No. 26651), which is scheduled to depart KSR Bengaluru at 5.10 am, will instead originate from Bengaluru Cantonment station on Saturday and on August 2, 3 and 4.

The Kanniyakumari–KSR Bengaluru Express (Train No. 16525), scheduled to depart from Kanniyakumari on Friday and August 2, will be diverted and operated between Byappanahalli and SMVT Bengaluru. As a result, the train will not halt at Bengaluru East, Bengaluru Cantonment and KSR Bengaluru railway stations.

The KSR Bengaluru–Kanniyakumari Express (Train No. 16526), scheduled to depart KSR Bengaluru at 8.10 pm, will instead originate from SMVT Bengaluru at 8.10 pm on Saturday and August 2 and 3.

The Ernakulam Junction–KSR Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express (Train No. 26652), scheduled to operate on August 3, will terminate at Krishnarajapuram and will not operate between Krishnarajapuram and KSR Bengaluru.

Uday express trains rerouted

The Coimbatore–KSR Bengaluru Uday Express (Train No. 22666), scheduled to depart Coimbatore Junction at 5.45 am on Saturday and August 2 and 3, will be partially cancelled between Krishnarajapuram and KSR Bengaluru and diverted towards SMVT Bengaluru.

The KSR Bengaluru–Coimbatore Uday Express (Train No. 22665), scheduled to depart KSR Bengaluru at 2.15 pm, will instead originate from SMVT Bengaluru at 2.15 pm on Saturday and August 2 and 3.

Salem–Yesvantpur services modified

The Yesvantpur–Salem train (Train No. 16211), scheduled to depart Yesvantpur at 3.55 pm, will instead originate from Banaswadi at 4.22 pm and operate up to Salem Junction on Saturday and August 2 and 3.

The Salem–Yesvantpur train (Train No. 16212), scheduled to depart Salem Junction at 5.20 pm, will terminate at Banaswadi on Saturday and August 2 and 3. It will not operate between Banaswadi and Yesvantpur.

Mumbai–Coimbatore expresses to run on diversion

The Lokmanya Tilak Terminus–Coimbatore Express (Train No. 11013) will be diverted between Yelahanka and Hosur today (Thursday), Friday, and August 1 and 2. Consequently, the train will not halt at Bengaluru East, Bengaluru Cantonment and KSR Bengaluru railway stations.

Similarly, the Coimbatore–Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Express (Train No. 11014) will be diverted between Hosur and Yelahanka on Saturday, August 2 and 3. The train will not halt at Bengaluru Cantonment and KSR Bengaluru railway stations.

Calling Nallakannu a symbol of simplicity and struggle, Udhayanidhi said inaugurating his statue was a lifetime honour. Releasing writer Bagu's book Ammatchi Karpanaiyin Mudhal Aasiriyar at the event here, he said the Dravidian and Communist movements had always stood together whenever the rights of Tamil and Tamil Nadu came under threat. He also recalled former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's admiration for Communist leaders and said former Chief Minister MK Stalin had continued that legacy by honouring Nallakannu with the Thagaisal Tamizhar Award and full State honours after his death.

Udhayanidhi said, "Today, society admires those who make reels, but it does not recognise those who genuinely work for the people."

He also reiterated the DMK's opposition to NEET, saying the party had opposed the medical entrance examination since its introduction.

Addressing the gathering, CPI state secretary M Veerapandian said the party was ready to work with all democratic forces, including the DMK, to defeat the BJP and RSS, which he described as the CPI's only political adversaries.

Later, speaking to reporters, Veerapandian reiterated that the CPI would continue its outside support to the ruling TVK government to protect democracy, while making it clear that the party was not part of any alliance and would oppose the government whenever it strayed from pro-people policies.

Rejecting speculation that the CPI was moving closer to the DMK, he said the party viewed the DMK, AIADMK and TVK as democratic political forces, but stressed that its ideological battle remained against the RSS and BJP. He also dismissed allegations that the TVK government was indirectly helping the BJP, saying the CPI had reached no such conclusion.

On future electoral alliances, Veerapandian said the party would decide only after elections were announced. For now, he said, the newly formed Left Coordination Committee would focus on people's issues, with its first meeting scheduled at the CPM headquarters on August 4, followed by a joint rally of Communist parties.

According to the police, 200 cases under the NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) Act were registered between July 20 and July 25. The police units seized 517 kgs of ganja, 15 kgs of ganja chocolate, 69 grams of MDMA, 146 grams of methamphetamine, 7552 tablets, among others. In addition, 486 cases relating to banned oral tobacco products were registered, and 5,237 kg of gutkha were seized.

In order to assess the prevalence of drugs, the officers of the Enforcement Bureau CID (EB-CID) visited vulnerable areas in Chennai city and its suburbs. Senior officers visited Kamalapuram, Vyasarpadi, Kannagi Nagar, Oorur Kuppam in Besant Nagar and TP Chatram Housing Board, enquired about the availability of drugs in those areas and listened to the grievances of the public.

Meanwhile, two Nigerian nationals arrested in a 2019 case registered by the Kanchipuram Narcotics Intelligence Bureau and who had completed their sentences, were repatriated to their home country after completing all legal formalities, an official release said.

In a written reply to a question by Congress president and Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, Minister of State for Women and Child Development Savitri Thakur said the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, is the primary legislation for ensuring the safety, security, dignity and well-being of Children in Need of Care and Protection (CNCP) and Children in Conflict with Law (CCL).

She said the Act covers orphans, abandoned and surrendered children, as well as those produced before Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) and Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs) and placed in Child Care Institutions.

According to data shared by the minister, Tamil Nadu recorded the highest number of children residing in CCIs during 2025-26 at 11,217. The state had reported 13,877 children in 2021-22; 7,785 in 2022-23; 10,118 in 2023-24, and 12,438 in 2024-25. It was followed by West Bengal (7,725), Odisha (7,311), Uttar Pradesh (5,125), Rajasthan (4,629) and Maharashtra (4,185).

Regarding vacancies in child protection institutions, Thakur stated that the Juvenile Justice Act mandates the establishment of Child Welfare Committees in every district, Juvenile Justice Boards for children in conflict with the law, and District Child Protection Units.

She said details of sanctioned, filled and vacant posts of CWCs, JJBs and child protection personnel are maintained by the states and Union Territories. However, the ministry has issued various guidelines and advisories from time to time for strengthening the implementation of the JJ Act, including filling vacancies in statutory structures.

Replying to a query on missing children reported and traced during the five years, the minister said the National Crime Records Bureau compiles and publishes data on missing and recovered children in its Crime in India report, which is available up to 2024.

The Ministry of Women and Child Development has developed an integrated unified Mission Vatsalya Portal in consultation and coordination with States and UTs, she said.

Thakur said the TrackChild portal and Khoya-Paya application have been integrated into the unified Mission Vatsalya portal to help trace missing/found children. The portal is also integrated with the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS), enabling police to match FIRs of missing children with the database.

The minister added that the Mission Vatsalya Scheme also provides for emergency outreach services (24x7x365) for children in difficult circumstances through the Child Helpline (1098), which is integrated with the Emergency Response Support System-112 (ERSS-112) Helpline of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

In a reshuffle of district revenue officers (DROs) across the State, K Ramamoorthy, Special District Revenue Officer (Land Acquisition), New Greenfield Airport (Zone I), has been transferred to the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board, Chennai. The transfer orders were issued by Chief Secretary M Sai Kumar on Wednesday.

Senior officials in the Kancheepuram district administration said they were not authorised to comment on the Parandur airport project. They, however, stated that three special DROs had been appointed for land acquisition for the Parandur project and that one of them has now been transferred.

Interestingly, the government appears to be focusing more on the Coimbatore airport expansion project. In the transfer order, the government has appointed a special district revenue officer (land acquisition) for the acquisition of land required for the extension of the runway at Coimbatore Airport.

In its election manifesto, the TVK had promised to drop the proposed Parandur airport project. However, after assuming office, the government has not made any official announcement on the future of the project.

The Parandur airport project, proposed as Chennai's second airport, requires the acquisition of over 5,700 acres of land across 13 villages in Kancheepuram district.

The project has witnessed sustained protests from local residents and farmers opposing land acquisition, despite the State government announcing compensation and rehabilitation measures.

All of them are accused of colluding to orchestrate a multi-crore scam in issuing Tasmac bar licences, transport tenders, procurement, and bottling operations between 2021 and 2025 when the DMK was in power.

While granting approval to register the case, the Home, Prohibition and Excise Department handed over two petitions and a copy of the counter affidavit submitted by the Enforcement Directorate, which contains a dossier of evidence on the alleged malpractices in Tasmac.

The case was booked on Tuesday, and not wasting time, the DVAC conducted searches on Wednesday morning at 45 locations across Tamil Nadu, including 14 in Chennai, and in Senthilbalaji’s hometown Karur, Coimbatore, Namakkal, Tirupur, Nilgiris, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Tiruvarur, and Thanjavur.

The FIR registered by the DVAC details the alleged misdeeds at almost all spheres of Tasmac’s operations, including manipulation in awarding Tasmac bar licences and transport contracts, cartelisation in tender processes, misuse of earnest money deposits, and bogus or inflated transactions involving distilleries, transport firms, and bottling companies. It also alleged that some of the Tasmac officials colluded with private individuals.

It claimed that the transport tenders for Tasmac depots were manipulated through the misuse of demand drafts, while bar licences were allegedly controlled by organised syndicates instead of the successful bidders. Even old bottle suppliers generated cash through inflated invoices, which was used to pay kickbacks for securing supply orders, it alleged.

Among the key figures named in the FIR is Rathesh Raj, brother of a serving IPS officer, who allegedly enjoyed substantial influence in Tasmac functioning, including approving liquor brands, bar licence tenders, and even transfers of officials. It also alleged that selected distillery companies received preferential treatment in supply and that excess amounts were collected from customers over and above the maximum retail price (MRP) for certain liquor brands between 2021 and 2025.

The FIR alleges that the accused entered into a criminal conspiracy, abused their official positions, and caused substantial loss to the government exchequer by manipulating Tasmac's procurement and licensing processes.

P Muruganandam had been staging an indefinite fast at his residence, demanding action against stone quarries in his neighbourhood that he claimed were operating in violation of government norms. Following his protest, officials from the Department of Geology and Mining inspected six stone quarries in the area and submitted a report to the district administration. Based on the findings of the inspection, the District Collector ordered the temporary suspension of operations at all six quarries, citing violations.

The closure orders were subsequently served on the quarry operators through revenue department officials. On Wednesday night, officials visited Muruganandam’s residence and handed over a copy of the Collector’s order. After receiving the official communication, Muruganandam called off his nine-day hunger strike, expressing satisfaction over the action taken by the district administration. The district administration is expected to take further action based on the inspection findings.

The exchange between volunteers from Apna Farz Seva Society and the man took place on July 16, 2022, in Jasraur village in Punjab’s Amritsar, located 10 kms from India-Pakistan border. The man had just been rescued from a 15-year bonded labour captivity at a buffalo farm.

Standing before them was a frail man in worn clothes, with dirt looking like it caked onto his body. Nearby stood an iron cot with a damp blanket, where, according to the team, he had been sleeping alongside the cattle for years. An iron chain was used to restrain him at night. “For the first six months, he talked very little,” recalled Satpal Singh, Chief Sevadar of Apna Farz Seva Society. “We got him treated at the Government Medical College in Patiala for over six months. After that, his mind gradually cleared, and then he started talking.”

Over the next four years, those fragments slowly turned into names, memories and places, drawing a retired Haryana Assembly Secretary, a journalist, district officials & volunteers across two States and, ultimately, a mother from Coimbatore who had spent more than two decades searching for the son she lost in 2003. It all started near Saibaba Colony in Coimbatore, when Prakasam, the 16-year-old boy, left home after a quarrel with his younger brother. He never knew how costly that mistake was. Despite counselling and three years of care by the NGO, Prakasam was still not able to communicate. Even today, he cannot explain how he travelled over 2,500 km from Tamil Nadu to a village barely 10 km from the India-Pakistan border.

For nearly 15 years, the buffalo farm in Jasraur village was the only world Prakasam knew. His captivity was largely reconstructed through the rescuers’ accounts and a video in which he demonstrated the routine that almost broke him.

From the time he woke until nightfall, he cleaned cattle sheds, collected dung and attended to nearly two dozen cattle amid heaps of dung. Another worker on the farm received wages; Prakasam did not. When daylight faded, farm owner Sukhdev Singh chained him to an iron cot where he slept regardless of weather, his blanket soaked from rain and dirt, with neither proper bathing nor food. “The buffaloes appeared cleaner than the man who cared for them,” the rescuer said.

For years, Prakasam remained invisible in Jasraur, until a short video of a frail man being tied circulated locally in 2022, leading the Apna Farz Seva Society to him.

After the rescue, the organisation housed Prakasam while trying to establish his identity, an effort that stretched over nearly three years. “We tried various means to get in touch with his family. But he was mentally broken. He came here as a teenager. Imagine being chained for 15 years with no one to talk to,” a volunteer described. It was only after months of treatment, it said, that his memory gradually improved.

Subhash Sharma, a retired Haryana Assembly Secretary who volunteers to reunite destitute persons with their families, visits the Apna Farz Seva Society’s shelter in Patiala. He first met Prakasam in early 2023. “He had only four words with him. Tamil Nadu, Bombay & Alagamar & Suganti, whom he identified as his father and sister,” Subhash recalled, adding that even the names were inconsistent. He met Prakasam frequently. During one such visit in 2024, Sharma heard two new clues -- “Coimbatore”, “door number 25.”

Drawing on contacts he had built during his years in the Assembly, he reached out to Balakrishna, an acquaintance in the Tamil Nadu Secretariat, who, in turn, introduced him to his brother, journalist Muthaiah. Whenever Sharma visited the shelter, Muthaiah would join over an audio call and speak to Prakasam in Tamil. The hope was that he might respond more naturally in his mother tongue. The breakthrough finally came in May 2026. This time, Prakasam uttered “Aruppukottai.”

As Prakasam’s memories slowly became clearer, the names changed too. The father, once remembered only as “Alagmar”, became Ramamoorthy. His mother’s name emerged as Sundari. He also began recalling his brother’s name, Prabhu. Using the details, Muthaiah travelled to the locality, met one of his cousins and learnt the family was no longer living in their native village, but had shifted to Coimbatore. The trail, which had stretched across two States for nearly three years, had finally led to Neelambur in Coimbatore, where Sundari, along with Prabhu, were gazing at the cattle.

When Muthaiah reached the house and asked Sundari if she had once lost a son named Prakasam, “Yes,” she replied. “I searched for him everywhere,” Sundari recalled. “He once tried to communicate with us from Chennai and never called back again. I lost hope,” she added.

After 20 years, mother and son saw each other for the first time through a video call. Sundari recognised him instantly. So did Prakasam. “I couldn’t describe that moment,” Sundari said. “I told him, ‘I will come, Prakasa’.”

Before Prakasam could leave shelter, officials had to conclusively establish that he was Sundari’s son. After the Coimbatore district administration verified his identity, Collector Pavankumar G wrote to the Patiala Deputy Commissioner, requesting the district administration, police and social welfare authorities to facilitate his safe handover from the custody of Apna Farz Seva Society to his biological family.

The Collector also sought initiation of proceedings under the Bonded Labour Rehabilitation Scheme and requested that Prakasam be extended rehabilitation benefits, including a release certificate, rehabilitation assistance and social security support. A three-member team comprising Sundari, Muthaiah and neighbour-cum-translator Sundaralingam then travelled to Patiala. Sundari and Prakasam are returning to Tamil Nadu on Thursday, bringing a closure to a journey that began with a teen leaving home over two decades ago.

The years in captivity have left deep scars. Asked if he believed his mother would ever find him, Prakasam replied, “I believed she would come to call me.” Sundari is still trying to understand what her son had gone through. “He now tells me, ‘I will never leave home without telling you, Amma’,” Sundari said.

The State Transport Corporations operate about 21,515 buses through 26 regions and 317 depots, meeting the daily travel needs of around 2.02 crore passengers.

Following the directions of Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, the government has proposed to allow cargo transportation in buses operated by the seven State transport corporations, excluding the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC). The initiative aims to provide traders and the public with an additional option for sending parcels while creating a new source of non-fare revenue for the transport corporations.

During his visit to the Central Electric Bus Depot-1 in Chennai, the minister inspected the cargo compartment developed inside the buses and directed officials to make certain design modifications to improve its utility.

He also reviewed the functioning of the depot and inspected the construction of the new Central Electric Bus Depot-2, which is being built to support the induction of 750 new electric buses planned under the second phase of MTC's fleet expansion.

Transport Secretary L Nirmal Raj, MTC Managing Director T Mohan and other senior officials accompanied the minister during the inspection.

Speaking to reporters after visiting the dry field due to unavailability of water at Azhiyur in Nagapattinam, the farmer leader Pandian said, kuruvai was cultivated in an area of 6.31 lakh acres across the Delta last year, and it had shrunken to just 2 acres during the current year due to paucity of water. 

“The failure of water release from Mettur had not only parched 12 lakh acres of land across Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai but also resulted in acute drinking water shortage in more than 1000 villages across the region. And the government should sort out the issue on a war footing,” Pandian appealed.

He appealed to the State government to insist that the Centre adhere to the order of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee that recommended Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of water for 15 days. "This would solve the demand for water to some extent," he said.

Meanwhile, Pandian pointed out that the delay in the movement of procured kuruvai paddy for hulling had further damaged it, and so he appealed to the State government not to use the kuruvai paddy for public distribution, as the quality of rice would be below the average, he cautioned. 

He also appealed to the government not to force the rice mills to hull the procured kuruvai paddy along with the samba and kar (practised in districts like Tirunelveli, Salem, Coimbatore and Erode), he said.

Pandian said that despite the Congress and the BJP opposing each other in Karnataka, both parties stand united in the Mekedatu dam construction issue. 

Responding to Anbumani's remarks, Manickam Tagore released a reply video and questioned whether the PMK would withdraw its support for the BJP in the Rajya Sabha after the Union government's statement on the Mekedatu project, in a tit-for-tat for daring Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to talk about Mekedatu during his upcoming Tamil Nadu visit. Tagore also asked why Anbumani appeared nervous, asking whether "he was facing a CBI case and that Anbumani believed the people of Tamil Nadu were unaware of it ?"

Tagore further said that the Congress is in power in several states and is the principal Opposition party in Parliament. He also criticised the PMK, saying it had won only four Assembly seats in Tamil Nadu with all the support of the AIADMK and the BJP.'

He also announced that the PMK would soon expand to Andhra Pradesh, stating that office bearers from all districts of the neighbouring state would participate in a consultation meeting this Saturday as part of preparations to launch the party there.

The PMK general council unanimously re-elected Anbumani Ramadoss as party president, Vadivel Ravanan as general secretary, and Thilagabama as treasurer, following the end of the internal conflict between Ramadoss and Anbumani.

Meanwhile, Anbumani accused both the Congress and the BJP of putting Karnataka's electoral interests ahead of Tamil Nadu's rights in the Mekedatu issue. Referring to Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary's recent reply in Parliament, he termed the Centre's stand a "betrayal" of Tamil Nadu.

Without naming TNCC president Manickam Tagore directly, Anbumani mocked his reaction to the PMK's criticism, saying the Congress leader had "rolled up his sleeves" in anger. "We have faced police firing, lathi charges and imprisonment. You may not even have been born then. We are carrying out constructive politics," he said, warning that the PMK would not be intimidated.

He further claimed that the PMK had won several Assembly seats by contesting independently, while alleging that the Congress could not even win a councillor's post on its own. He also said he would closely watch whether Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is scheduled to visit Tamil Nadu on August 1, would speak in support of Tamil Nadu's stance on the Mekedatu project.

Calling for political unity on the Cauvery issue, Anbumani urged Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to convene an all-party meeting and lead a delegation of political leaders and MPs to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He alleged that while political parties in Karnataka remained united on water issues, Tamil Nadu's leaders were divided by "ego".

The PMK chief also urged the State government to waive all cooperative bank loans taken by farmers, estimating that Rs 15,000 crore would be sufficient. Warning of severe drought conditions due to the expected impact of a "Super El Niño", he appealed to the government to prioritise farmers in the upcoming State Budget.

Announcing the party's future programmes, he said PMK would launch a two-year statewide prohibition awareness movement on Gandhi Jayanti, October 2, under the leadership of MLA Sowmiya Anbumani.

The members of these associations discussed and presented long-pending and new demands to the government. Some of the demands include: introducing computer science from classes 1 to 12, regularisation for teachers employed under the Samagra Shiksha (SS) scheme, extension of noon meal till class 12, exempting exam fees, including supplementary fees for students of state-run schools, and providing transportation facilities for all students. Several members of the TN library association requested an increase in the salaries of staff and librarians.

"Most of the long-pending demands have been placed to both the DMK and AIADMK parties while in power so far. Hence, with the TVK party forming the government, we hope it fulfils the promises made during the election campaign and in its manifesto," said a member of the TN government teachers' association.

Additionally, another member of the TN secondary grade teachers' association said that new demands have also been placed for the welfare of teachers, students and non-teaching staff. "We hope the demands are actually addressed instead of giving false promises," said the member.

He said the State could have filled the seats by holding another round of counselling with relaxed eligibility criteria for in-service government doctors. Of the 214 seats reserved for government doctors out of 430, only 63 were filled, leaving 151 vacant. Calling the order a blow to Tamil Nadu's rights and medical education system, Shanmugam urged the government to engage senior lawyers, pass an Assembly resolution opposing the transfer of State quota super-speciality seats to the All India Quota, and continue its demand to move education back to the State List. He also sought better career prospects for super-speciality graduates and a reduction in the Rs 40 lakh bond amount for private doctors.

In a circular issued on Wednesday, TNPDCL Chairman and Managing Director V Arun Roy directed senior officials across all distribution regions to physically verify domestic service connections that showed significant variation in power consumption compared with the previous billing cycle in May.

The re-inspection will be carried out by officials ranging from Chief Engineers to Assistant Engineers. Each category of officer has been assigned a fixed number of service connections for verification, with Assistant Executive Engineers and Accounts Officers in the Revenue Intelligence Squad inspecting up to 150 services each.

The utility has set August 7 as the deadline for completing the inspections and has instructed officials to rectify any billing or assessment errors on the spot, if detected.

TNPDCL sources said the exercise was intended to allay consumer apprehensions over higher electricity bills rather than to launch an enforcement drive.

"We analysed domestic electricity bills for the May and July billing cycles and identified around 3.7 lakh consumers whose power consumption had increased sharply," a senior TNPDCL official said.

According to the official, nearly 15,000 consumers recorded consumption of more than 1,000 units during the latest billing cycle, while around one lakh consumers consumed between 500 and 1,000 units. The remaining consumers fell in the 101-500 units consumption slab.

Officials said the increase in consumption coincided with a prolonged spell of El Niño-induced hot and humid weather across the State. "The prolonged heat has resulted in households using air-conditioners, air coolers and other cooling appliances for longer durations than usual. Naturally, electricity consumption has gone up, leading to higher bills for many consumers," the official said.

In a statement, Stalin alleged that the government failed to effectively defend Tamil Nadu's case before the Supreme Court, resulting in the transfer of the seats to the national pool. He questioned why the State delayed appointing senior legal counsel to argue its case and claimed that the government's legal defence was weak during the crucial initial stages of the proceedings.

He also raised concerns over the counselling process, asking whether the government had prematurely declared 151 super-speciality seats as vacant even before the commencement of the second round of All India counselling. According to him, this decision enabled the seats to be shifted to the All India Quota.

The former Chief Minister further criticised the government for not passing a resolution in the State Assembly opposing the transfer of the seats, despite repeated demands from political parties and the medical fraternity to safeguard Tamil Nadu's allocation.

Stalin said the loss of the seats would have serious long-term implications for the State's public healthcare system, as super-speciality medical seats are essential for producing specialist doctors who serve in government hospitals. A reduction in the State quota, he warned, could affect the availability of specialists in the coming years.

Demanding an explanation from the government, Stalin urged it to disclose the circumstances that led to the loss of the 151 seats and take immediate legal and administrative steps to restore Tamil Nadu's entitlement. He said the government must exhaust all available legal remedies to reclaim the seats and protect the interests of aspiring doctors and the State's healthcare infrastructure.

At a function held at the Secretariat, the Chief Minister presented appointment orders to 28 Deputy Collectors, seven Deputy Superintendents of Police, 19 Assistant Commissioners (Commercial Taxes), 15 Assistant Directors of Rural Development, three District Employment Officers, and six Assistant Commissioners of Labour.

In addition, 48 candidates selected through the TNPSC's Combined Technical Services Examination also received their appointment orders from the Chief Minister.

Minister for Human Resources Management D Sarathkumar and Minister for Environment and Forests VK Rajeev participated in the event.

Speaking to reporters in Thanjavur, Vasan said the statement, made by the minister in the Rajya Sabha, had shocked farmers in Tamil Nadu. He claimed that the State government, political parties and the public were united in opposing Karnataka's proposed Mekedatu project.

"It is inappropriate for a Union minister to take a biased stance and attempt to create tension between two states," he said.

Pointing out that the Supreme Court, the Cauvery Water Management Authority and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee had upheld Tamil Nadu's share of Cauvery water and directed Karnataka to release its due share, Vasan said the minister's remarks ran contrary to the recommendations of the water management authorities.

Appealing to the Union government and the authorities to safeguard Tamil Nadu's rights, Vasan urged them not to take any decision on the Mekedatu dam project that would affect the State's interests.

On the political front, Vasan said the TMC was strengthening its organisational base in preparation for the local body elections. Reiterating the party's recent break with the BJP-led NDA, he asserted that the TMC would not enter into an alliance with the NDA.

The First Bench comprising Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan issued the directions while disposing of a PIL filed by a young woman who was allegedly raped by two police constables in Tiruvannamalai district, seeking a speedy trial.

The Bench directed the Fast Track Mahila Court, Tiruvannamalai, to continue the trial on a day-to-day basis, without unnecessary adjournments, and make every effort to conclude the trial as expeditiously as possible.

The Court directed all Principal District and Sessions Courts, Additional Sessions Courts, Mahila Courts, and other Special Courts in Tamil Nadu trying rape and sexual offence cases to comply with the mandatory two-month timeline under Section 346(1) of the BNSS and grant adjournments only for truly exceptional reasons recorded in writing, in accordance with Section 346(2) of the BNSS.

The Bench further directed the Director General of Police to annually review the adequacy of the existing supervisory mechanisms for night patrol duties and strengthen them wherever gaps are found, particularly in remote and poorly lit highway stretches. It also observed that the authorities must ensure that incidents where the protectors turn predators never recur.

It further directed all Pocso Special Courts to comply with Section 35 of the Act by recording the evidence of child survivors within 30 days of taking cognisance and, as far as possible, completing trials within one year.

It also directed the Tamil Nadu State Judicial Academy to periodically train Presiding Officers on these requirements, the prompt cognisance of electronically filed charge sheets, and compliance with the mandate under Section 35(2) of the Pocso Act.

The Court also directed that the four presently vacant Pocso Courts at Cuddalore, Dindigul, Madurai, and Thoothukudi be filled at the earliest and that the Government take an early decision on constituting the six Special Courts already sanctioned but not yet established, and report the progress made to the Court through the Registrar General within two months.

Justice B Pugalendhi made the observations while closing two criminal appeals arising out of the rejection of two bail petitions in a case relating to the alleged assault on a Scheduled Caste activist over his efforts to retrieve Panchami land, following an order passed by the High Court on December 12, 2025, in respect of Keeranur village in Madurai district.

Within a week of the High Court's order on the activist's plea to restore Panchami land, the appellants, along with a few others, allegedly brutally attacked the activist and caused him grievous injuries on December 18, 2025. Having regard to the gravity of the allegations, the High Court, at that stage, did not consider it appropriate to decide the question of bail, and the matter was kept pending for consideration.

The subsequent bail applications were filed before the Sessions Court when the criminal appeals challenging the earlier rejection of bail were already pending before the High Court. However, neither the counsel for the accused nor the Public Prosecutor brought the pendency of the appeals to the notice of the Sessions Court. Consequently, the Sessions Court granted bail to the accused.

"The present case highlights the importance of ensuring that the State is effectively represented by competent prosecuting officers," the Court said.

Referring to the appointment of Public Prosecutors in district courts, the judge noted that the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) prescribes only a minimum of seven years' practice for Public Prosecutors and ten years' practice for Special Public Prosecutors, but does not lay down objective criteria such as legal acumen, drafting skills, integrity, behaviour and professional reputation.

The Court described Public Prosecutors as the "gatekeepers of the criminal justice system" and said they play a crucial role in protecting the rights of victims.

Justice Pugalendhi also referred to the First Bench decision in V Vasanthakumar vs State of Tamil Nadu, which had directed the State to evolve objective criteria for appointing Law Officers. The Court observed that appointments should strictly adhere to those standards and be based on demonstrable professional ability, competence and integrity rather than extraneous considerations.

The Court further observed that a Public Prosecutor is not expected merely to file lengthy written objections but must effectively assist the Court by identifying and presenting the material facts relevant to the issue under consideration. Effective advocacy, it said, lies in clarity, brevity and highlighting the decisive facts rather than the volume of pleadings.

The judgment also reiterated that once the High Court is seized of a bail matter, subordinate courts should ordinarily avoid entertaining subsequent bail applications unless there is a substantial change in circumstances, emphasising the need to maintain judicial discipline and prevent conflicting orders.

The special services will be operated on July 31 (Friday), August 1 (Saturday), August 2 (Sunday), and August 3 (Aadi Perukku).

So far, 13,547 passengers travelling from Chennai and other cities to their native places have booked tickets. The number of reservations is expected to increase in the coming days.

From the Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus in Kilambakkam, special buses will be operated to Tiruvannamalai, Tiruchy, Kumbakonam, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Nagercoil, Kanniyakumari, Thoothukudi, Coimbatore, Salem, Erode, and Tirupur. A total of 420 buses will be operated on July 31, 330 buses on August 1, and 270 buses on August 2.

From the CMBT, Koyambedu, special buses will be operated to Tiruvannamalai, Nagapattinam, Velankanni, Hosur, and Bengaluru. 120 buses each will be operated on July 31 and August 1, while 55 buses will be operated on August 2. In addition, 200 special buses will be operated from Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Erode, and Tirupur to various destinations.

From the Madhavaram bus terminus, special buses will be operated to Kallakurichi, Tiruvannamalai, Polur, and Puducherry. Forty-five buses each will be operated on July 31 and August 1, while 50 buses will be operated on August 2.

To facilitate passengers returning to Chennai and Bengaluru from their hometowns, 420 special buses will also be operated from various parts of the State on August 2.

So far, 5,721 passengers have booked tickets for July 31, 2,396 passengers for August 1, and 5,430 passengers for August 2, taking the total number of advance bookings to 13,547. The number is expected to rise further in the coming days.

Additional officials have been deployed at major bus terminals to monitor the operation of the special services. Passengers can book their tickets in advance through the TNSTC mobile app or the www.tnstc.in website.

The deceased, Vinodini, from Bharathi Nagar in Erode, had separated from her husband from Tirupur owing to some differences, and was living with her four-year-old son in a house near her parents' residence over the last two years.

Police said Vinodini befriended Navaneethakrishnan (26) from Sayalgudi, near Kamuthi, in Ramanathapuram district, through Instagram. “Over a period of time, they developed an affair. However, their relationship did not last long as Vinodini started to distance herself from him in recent days, resulting in a confrontation,” police said.

On Monday night, Navaneethakrishnan came to her house and broke into a heated argument. In a fit of rage, he poured kerosene and set her ablaze. As flames engulfed her, Vinodini clung to the accused, causing him to sustain burn injuries as well. Hearing screams, neighbours rushed into the house, while the accused fled away from the spot.

Police said Vinodini was admitted to Erode GH with severe burns in a critical condition. In her dying declaration made before the Additional Mahila Court Judge, she stated that Navaneethakrishnan set her on fire.

Following her death, the Erode Taluk police registered a case of murder and traced Navaneethakrishnan to a private hospital in Karur, where he is undergoing treatment to burn injuries. He is likely to be arrested after treatment. Further investigations are on.

The collaboration will be led by IIT Madras' Centre of Tech Excellence, with support from a CSR grant by Walmart Global Tech.

The initiative aims to drive the digital empowerment of MSMEs operating in manufacturing, retail and allied sectors, according to a release issued on Wednesday.

The solutions developed through the collaboration will be low-cost and user-friendly, making them suitable for MSMEs that require accessible and scalable technologies without significant capital investment.

An MoU for the collaboration was signed between FaMe TN and IIT Madras.

The collaboration envisages the development of a state-level MSME Digital Readiness and Adoption Index to assess the digital maturity of MSMEs across Tamil Nadu as one of its key outcomes.

The initiative will support AI, digital transformation and Industry 4.0 adoption through digital readiness assessments, capacity-building programmes, technology demonstrations and implementation support.

It will facilitate the development, technology transfer and large-scale deployment of indigenous digital solutions, while establishing a collaborative government-academia-industry innovation ecosystem anchored at the Centre of Tech Excellence at IIT Madras.

Elaborating on the collaboration, Prof Raghunathan Rengaswamy of IIT Madras said, "This partnership aims to integrate AI-enabled workflows, shop-floor digitisation and Industry 4.0 tools into the day-to-day operations of MSMEs in Tamil Nadu."

"By focusing on practical, field-deployable technologies and on-ground interventions, the initiative seeks to enhance productivity, improve product quality and strengthen the global competitiveness of small and medium manufacturing units across sectors such as automotive, engineering and fabrication," he added.

With traffic congestion worsening along the Poonamallee High Road corridor, commuters have intensified their demand for the early inauguration of the line.

The Chief Minister later carried out an extensive inspection of the ongoing Phase II project, reviewing progress at key construction sites and directing officials to expedite the work while maintaining high standards of safety and quality.

As part of the visit, Vijay travelled by Metro from Government Estate station to Nandanam station to inspect the CMRL headquarters. During the Metro ride, he interacted with passengers on board, enquired about their travel experience and posed for selfies with a few commuters. A large number of passengers and members of the public gathered at Nandanam Metro station to catch a glimpse of the Chief Minister upon his arrival.

Officials briefed him on the Operation Control Centre (OCC), which will serve as the central command facility for monitoring and managing Metro operations. He also reviewed the progress of the three Phase II corridors and various technical and operational aspects of the project.

At Guindy Kathipara, Vijay inspected the elevated Metro construction from a height of 101 feet, where officials explained the engineering design, passenger amenities and specialised construction techniques being adopted to build viaducts in densely populated urban areas with minimal disruption.

The Chief Minister also reviewed last-mile connectivity initiatives aimed at ensuring seamless access between Metro stations and surrounding residential and commercial areas. Officials informed him that the Phase II network is being designed to operate with Unattended Train Operation (UTO) technology, enabling fully automated driverless train services equipped with advanced safety systems.

The Chief Minister's visit also led to temporary traffic disruptions. Overcrowding was reported at some Metro stations, while public gatherings in Porur and Guindy, along with security arrangements, resulted in congestion on surrounding roads.

Her escape and complaint have now led to the arrest of two men and opened an investigation into an alleged network that police believe lured vulnerable pregnant women from other states with promises of free accommodation and medical care before attempting to sell their babies after birth.

The Erattupetta Police arrested Muppili Raja (27), a native of Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, and K S Arjun (21) of Idukki district.

Both were taken into custody from a house at Theekkoy near Pala where the woman had earlier been staying. They were produced before a local court and remanded in judicial custody.

Police have also registered a case against a woman identified as Harshitha, while the investigation is continuing to trace others suspected to be part of the alleged racket.

According to the woman's complaint, she fled her home in Assam after facing sustained pressure from her husband to terminate her pregnancy, police said.

Already the mother of a one-and-a-half-year-old girl, she said her husband and family opposed her second pregnancy, forcing her to leave home in the hope of finding a place where she could safely continue the pregnancy and raise her child.

While in Delhi, she came across an Instagram account, which she believed belonged to a voluntary organisation. The account allegedly offered free accommodation and delivery expenses for pregnant women. Trusting the promise, she travelled to Kerala and reached Kottayam on July 16.

Police said Arjun, a hotel management student in Bengaluru, and Harshitha received the woman and took her to an isolated house surrounded by a rubber plantation at Theekkoy in this district.

Police said the property was being used as a guest house by Anitha, a private hospital nurse from Coimbatore, and her husband Raja, also known as Karthik.

According to the complaint, the woman realised something was wrong when she was allegedly told that her newborn baby would have to be handed over for Rs 3 lakh after delivery.

It was then, police said, that she understood she had been trapped by a group allegedly involved in selling newborn babies.

Her escape came with the help of an anganwadi teacher she met by chance. With the teacher's assistance, she reached the Erattupetta Police Station and narrated her ordeal.

She was later shifted to Santhwanam, a government-run shelter home in Gandhi Nagar near Kottayam town, where she is currently under care.

Police said preliminary investigation indicates that the accused may have links to a wider network involved in procuring newborn babies.

Investigators are examining the role of the Instagram account through which the woman was allegedly contacted, the financial transactions involved and whether other pregnant women were similarly targeted.

Officials are also trying to identify others who may have been part of the operation and determine whether the network has been active in other states.

The action follows a case filed in the High Court seeking a CBI probe, alleging inaction by CB-CID and noting that no arrests had been made when the petition was filed.

The arrested have been identified as Murugadas (56) of Villupuram district, who allegedly sold the land using forged documents; Vellaithurai (60) of Papankulam in Tirupur district and Sethupathi (72) of Pudur in Palani, who allegedly purchased the property; and advocate Anvardheen (65) of Palani, who is alleged to have facilitated the fraud.

They have been booked under Sections 318(4), 336(3), 340(2), 49 and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The arrests came a day after former AIADMK MLA KSN Venugopal Senapathi moved the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court seeking a CBI probe into the case. In his petition, he alleged that the CB-CID had not made any arrests despite having taken over the investigation, and he expressed apprehension about the fairness of the probe, as the allegations involve sitting government officials.

According to police sources, four CB-CID teams searched houses and lodges in Palani and other places before securing the accused on Tuesday night. They were brought to the CB-CID office in Dindigul for questioning.

Senior CB-CID officials interrogated the four accused at the Dindigul office in the morning hours. After the interrogation, the police produced them before the Judicial Magistrate Court I, Dindigul. The magistrate remanded them in judicial custody until 12th August 2026. They were later lodged at the Madurai Central Prison.

The case pertains to the alleged fraudulent registration of the mutt's land on Sannathi Street in Palani for Rs 2 crore using forged documents. Based on a complaint lodged by Muruganandam, Superintendent of the Palani Temple Lands Division, the Palani Adivaram police registered a case against sub-registrar Justin Manikandan, trust functionary Murugadas, purchaser Vellaithurai, Sethupathi, and others, charging them with criminal conspiracy and cheating.

After the State government transferred the case to the CB-CID on July 15, more than 30 police personnel led by SP Shajitha and DSP Ajay Thangam have been conducting an intensive investigation in Dindigul and Palani.

As part of the probe, the CB-CID questioned more than 15 persons, including former temple Joint Commissioner Marimuthu, retired Tahsildar Mariyappan, retired Village Administrative Officer Chinnasamy and HR&CE Inspector Sivanesan.

Meanwhile, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court granted interim anticipatory bail to sub-registrar Justin Manikandan and directed him to appear daily at the CB-CID office in Dindigul from July 27 to August 3. He has been appearing before the investigating officers in compliance with the order.

In a related development, the original legal heirs of Kuppusamy Maniyakkarar, who had donated the land by gift deed to one Dhandapani Swamy in 1888 (with the objective of establishing a mutt), appeared before the CB-CID office in Dindigul on Tuesday evening in response to summons.

Sundari, her son Vishnu Sudarsan and daughter Jayalakshmi submitted the original title deed and other documents in their possession.

The police are also searching for a land broker and document writer from Oddanchatram who is suspected of being involved in the alleged fraud.

As part of the investigation, DVAC officials carried out simultaneous searches at 41 locations across the State, including 14 premises in Chennai and neighbouring districts.

Officials confirmed the registration of the case but did not provide further details on the allegations or the evidence gathered.

In Karur district, searches were conducted at Senthil Balaji's residence in Rameshwarapatti, the house of his assistant Subramani in Murthy Palayam, the residence of Karur DMK East Union Secretary Bhaskar in Koyampalli, and the homes of Ramesh and Karthik in Kothai Nagar. Officials also searched the TASMAC regional office at Thozhilpettai.

According to the DVAC, the investigation centres on allegations that Senthil Balaji and the other accused amassed assets disproportionate to their known sources of income. The case also includes distillery companies that are alleged to have been linked to the suspected irregularities.

Search teams continued to examine documents, financial records and other materials from the identified locations as part of the probe.

It is said that M Vasanthi (52), a resident of Somarasampettai had recently met Irudayaraj (50) who told her that he has several contacts in Tiruchy court and would get her son a job there.

Trusting him, Vasanthi handed over a sum of Rs 5.30 lakh in several instalments from 2022 to 2025.

However, Irudayaraj failed to arrange the job and started threatening when she demanded the money. Subsequently, Vasanthi lodged a complaint and Tiruchy GH police commenced investigation.

Police said the girl Nanditha and younger brother were in the care of her grandmother Pannammal (65) at Kanjampalayam in Tirupur.

Her parents had separated following differences and the girl’s father remarried and settled elsewhere.

The girl was alone at home, while her brother was playing outside and her grandmother had gone to work. When Pannammal returned, she was shocked to find Nanditha hanging on Tuesday.

It was learnt that the girl was under distress due to family circumstances leading her to take the extreme step.

In separate corrigenda, TNSHA annulled the tenders floated on March 10 for all three packages of the project. It did not elaborate on the reasons or indicate when fresh bids would be invited.

The proposed greenfield corridor, to be developed under the public-private partnership model using the hybrid annuity mode, was planned as an extension of the Oragadam-Cheyyar industrial corridor.

The highway would originate at the under-construction Chennai Peripheral Ring Road at Valayankaranai and terminate at Manampathy on the Kancheepuram-Vandavasi State Highway.

The civic polls are linked to the seventh State Finance Commission to determine the financial distribution for local bodies and necessary preparations for the local body polls, including budget allocation, are tied to this assessment, the official said.

The state government had recently issued an order extending the tenure of the commission till December 31, 2026. The tenure was scheduled to expire on August 31. Hence, the civic polls are likely to be held in early 2027, it was pointed out.

The previous local body elections were held in a single phase on February 19, 2022 for municipal corporations, municipalities, and town panchayats. The elections to rural local bodies were held on December 27 and 30 in 2019 across 27 districts, and on October 6, 2021, in the remaining nine districts, including Chengalpattu and Kancheepuram, following delimitation.

In highly concentrated urban centres like Chennai, the boundaries remain frozen for now. Sources said the Greater Chennai Corporation’s plan to expand its limits to integrate adjacent panchayats such as Vanagaram and Adayalampattu have been put on hold. The delimitation exercise in the GCC areas has been postponed until the new national census is available.