The performance audit on the implementation of JJM revealed a stark disconnect between the state's claimed success metrics and the actual ground reality.

While Tamil Nadu officially reported providing Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs) to nearly 84 per cent of its rural households, the report found that 50 per cent of the targeted households in selected districts are not receiving the mandated minimum supply of 55 litres per capita per day (lpcd).

The audit further exposed a shocking deviation from the mission's core guidelines, discovering that a staggering 96 per cent of the tap connections provided were improperly installed outside the beneficiaries' homes.

According to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India report, out of 2,69,645 FHTCs surveyed across the selected districts, 2,59,613 were placed in open spaces and streets rather than inside the houses. This direct contravention of JJM guidelines not only deprives citizens of the intended convenience but also leaves the infrastructure highly vulnerable to damage, theft, and poor maintenance. The government had cited a lack of space and beneficiary requests as reasons for outside installations, an excuse the CAG rejected as it compromises the safety and longevity of the created assets.

The water supply data painted an equally grim picture of the mission's primary output. The audit highlighted that even in districts like Coimbatore, which officially reported 100 per cent FHTC coverage, only 8.67 per cent of habitations received the prescribed 55 lpcd of water.

In Nagapattinam district, none of the surveyed habitations received the adequate quantity.

Beneficiary surveys and focus group discussions corroborated these findings, with hundreds of respondents complaining of erratic supply, sometimes receiving water only once in four to seven days, and expressing dissatisfaction over poor water quality.

The CAG report warned that the widespread failure to ensure adequate water quantity and the improper, vulnerable placement of taps fundamentally defeat the JJM’s vision of improving the living standards of rural communities.

It recommended immediate government intervention to rectify these execution deficiencies and ensure the sustainable, adequate delivery of potable water to rural households.

The report also highlighted that a severe lack of synchronisation between the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) Board and rural development departments has crippled key JJM projects, leaving newly built village water tanks completely dry while main pipelines remain unfinished.

During joint physical verifications in the Thiruvadanai Block in Ramanathapuram district, auditors found that out of 12 sumps and three overhead tanks constructed, seven sumps were not receiving any water, and water was not being pumped to the overhead tanks.

According to the report, 165 in-village component works, aimed at providing FHTCs, were sanctioned under the 2020-21 Annual Action Plan at an estimated cost of Rs 32.93 crore. These local infrastructure assets were completed by February 2023.

However, the crucial retrofitting of the existing combined water supply scheme (CWSS) -- the main source intended to feed these villages -- was only taken up under the 2022-23 plan at a cost of Rs 574.42 crore.

As of May 2025, the TWAD Board's retrofitting work remains under progress, rendering the completed in-village infrastructure largely unused for over two years.

After the DMK MLAs were evicted, the Speaker justified his decision, saying that he had ordered their eviction as their conduct was disrupting the proceedings of the House.

When the Assembly commenced on Tuesday, DMK Whip E V Velu raised a query about the Chief Minister's speech while replying to the demand for grants for the Home Department. Velu said the Chief Minister's speech was totally contrary to the Assembly rules and referred to matters that were under court inquiry.

"The former Chief Minister and our leader was arrested a year under the MISA Act, which is already a known fact. During the Chief Minister's speech on the Sarkaria Commission, he mentioned the name of Murasoli Maran, who is deceased. This also contradicts the Assembly rules, as the names of deceased persons should not be mentioned in Assembly debates. The Sarkaria Commission itself said that no charges had been proved," he said.

Explaining the relationship between the Maran family and Chief Minister Vijay, Velu said the commemorative stamp was released by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and then actor and present Chief Minister Vijay.

Terming the Chief Minister's speech against DMK leaders baseless and without evidence, Velu demanded that the speech be expunged from the House records.

Replying to him, Minister for Law and Energy R Nirmalkumar said that during the DMK regime, allegations relating to the purchase of wheat and pesticides were proved by the Sarkaria Commission.

"Former Chief Minister Stalin's arrest occurred owing to various reasons, including a defamatory speech against the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and not under the MISA Act," the Minister said.

Following this, DMK members raised slogans against him. When Minister Aadhav Arjuna was trying to speak, the DMK members continued raising slogans. He responded that if they continued, the TVK MLAs would also raise their voices.

The Speaker asked the Minister not to speak in that manner and said the ruling party MLAs should maintain silence, as they had done during the Chief Minister's reply on Monday.

After that, Ministers Aadhav Arjuna and K A Sengottaiyan justified the Chief Minister's speech and said there was no need to expunge it from the House records.

Following the Ministers' statements, DMK MLA Govi Chezhiaan asked whether the Chief Minister could produce the Enforcement Directorate records as evidence and questioned the need to mention Murasoli Maran's name.

After his argument, the Speaker said the issue of the Sarkaria Commission had been discussed in the Assembly several times and that Stalin's arrest under the MISA was also a fact. "The Chief Minister mentioned an ED document that was in the public domain. So, there is no need to expunge the Chief Minister's speech from the Assembly records," the Speaker said.

After the Speaker pronounced his ruling, DMK MLAs raised slogans against him. As the Speaker stood by his ruling, the DMK MLAs trooped into the Well and raised slogans.

Minister and House Chairman K A Sengottaiyan warned the members that their conduct was against the traditional norms and decorum of the Assembly and appealed to them to return to their seats.

Speaker Prabhakar also repeatedly warned the protesting members and directed them to withdraw from the Well. However, the DMK MLAs continued their protest despite the warnings.

With the disruption continuing, the Speaker ordered their eviction. Assembly marshals entered the Well and evicted the DMK members en masse.

The eviction turned dramatic as some of the protesting MLAs resisted the marshals. A few DMK members were physically lifted and carried out of the House by marshals, even as the protest continued.

During 2019-22, an average of 46 per cent of schools in the eight sampled districts did not avail the Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme, while 39 per cent did not avail the Post-Matric Scheme. Between 2019 and 2023, the non-coverage of potentially eligible SC students ranged from 21-52 per cent for Pre-Matric and 20-29 per cent for Post-Matric scholarships. For ST students, the corresponding figures were 35-55 per cent and 30-42 per cent.

The audit also found that 2,901 students who had been sanctioned Pre-Matric or Post-Matric SC/ST scholarships during 2017-22 dropped out or were excluded the following year.

Physical scrutiny of 9,076 scholarship applications found that income/community certificates were missing from 2,569 sanctioned applications (28 per cent). The report also flagged a lack of transparency and arbitrary practices in admissions under the management quota in private institutions. Failure to ensure compliance with prescribed admission procedures resulted in scholarships being granted to ineligible students.

Scholarship disbursement was also delayed in 36,510 instances between 2017 and 2023, involving Rs 7.28 crore, with delays ranging from one month to more than a year. Another Rs 1.61 crore meant for 3,530 SC/ST/SCC beneficiaries was returned because bank accounts were blocked, frozen, closed or did not exist.

Analysis of Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency (TNeGA) data for 2022-23 revealed that 160 SC beneficiaries received the 40 per cent State share twice, while course fees were credited twice to 253 ST beneficiaries. Multiple cases were also found where beneficiaries received other scholarships or concessions simultaneously.

Further, 2,576 SCC students who were ineligible for Central funds received 60 per cent of the scholarship from the Central share during 2021-23, resulting in an incorrect payment of Rs 3.64 crore.

The audit attributed the shortcomings to the absence of a robust IT framework and online grievance redressal mechanism, as well as the non-conduct of evaluation and social audits. Required district-level and annual inspections of private institutions were also not carried out, it cited.

Speaking to journalists at the party headquarters, Anna Arivalayam, where DMK legislators assembled after being evicted from the House, Stalin was asked whether the current Assembly was being conducted with "dignity".

"You are asking the question yourself whether it is being conducted with dignity. It is being run in such a manner that it warrants that very question," Stalin replied.

Earlier in the day, following the ruckus over Vijay's certain references regarding DMK in the House on Monday, Speaker JCD Prabhakar had directed the eviction of the main opposition party's MLAs.

Meanwhile, Senior DMK leader EV Velu alleged that Vijay had violated Assembly Rule 92, which explicitly bars debates on matters that are pending before a court of law.

Addressing a press conference, the former minister noted that the opposition listened patiently while the chief minister spoke. However, the CM then referred to an ongoing Enforcement Directorate (ED) case and read out an affidavit in the House, "violating" established rules.

The DMK leader further alleged that the chief minister went on to mock the DMK leadership's incarceration under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) during the Emergency, adopting theatrical body language and gestures to trivialise the "sacrifices of DMK veterans".

Velu also criticised the treasury benches for reviving debates around the Sarkaria Commission to malign the late former Union Minister Murasoli Maran.

Pointing out that all 28 allegations examined by the Commission were closed for lack of evidence, Velu recalled that AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran had himself submitted to the panel that he merely forwarded a complaint handed to him by an advocate.

Velu questioned the propriety of CM Vijay attacking Maran, pointing out that the CM had previously attended the release of a commemorative postage stamp honouring the DMK leader in alongside MP Dayanidhi Maran and had acted in films produced by that family.

"During Zero Hour, we represented to the Speaker that discussing a sub-judice ED case violated Assembly rules, that mocking MISA sacrifices was unacceptable, and that raking up the dismissed Sarkaria Commission allegations was inappropriate. We demanded that all three references be expunged from the Assembly records," Velu said.

"However, the Speaker refused to expunge the remarks. When we pressed our legitimate, democratic demand, the police and marshals were deployed to physically lift and throw us out," he added.

Accusing the ruling dispensation of engaging in image-building rather than substantive governance, Velu contrasted the DMK's "real administration under the Dravidian model" with what he termed "reel governance" manufactured for social media video clips.

He also dismissed the treasury benches' claim that a woman legislator recently presiding from the Speaker's chair was unprecedented, citing historical precedents of women members including AS Ponnammal and D Yasodha presiding over House proceedings in the past.

Referring to his expression in the State Assembly on September 7, when he targeted the main opposition DMK over alleged corruption based on official ED documents and the Sarkaria Commission report of the 1970s, Vijay in a statement said: "My body langauge was an involuntary expression. I would like to make it known that it was not in any way intentional."

Further, he said: "Therefore, I kindly request that it should not be interpreted as an act intended to hurt anyone's feelings on a personal level."

Vijay's posture of holding his jaw -- with one hand -- as if to lift it one way became the point of discussion on social media.

Some claimed that the chief minister was mocking DMK president MK Stalin as it was he who had suffered a jaw fracture during his incarceration during the infamous Emergency (1975-77).

However, whether or not the DMK chief suffered such an injury during his imprisonment is not known.

Against this background, Vijay clarified that his expression was out-and-out unintentional.

The decision was taken at the 57th meeting of the CWMA held in Delhi under the chairmanship of S K Haldar. Officials from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka participated in the meeting. Earlier in the day, the CWRC had recommended that Karnataka release water to Tamil Nadu at a rate of 6,000 cusecs for the next 15 days.

This follows the CWMA's earlier order on August 25 when, upholding the CWRC's recommendation, it had directed Karnataka to ensure a flow of 9,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for 15 days.

The meeting was held following the Supreme Court's direction to the Tamil Nadu government a day earlier to raise before the CWMA its grievance over the release of its proportionate share of Cauvery water by Karnataka.

At its 141st meeting on August 24, the CWRC had directed Karnataka to release water from its reservoirs and ensure a flow of 9,000 cusecs at the Biligundulu border point.

The flow had to be maintained continuously for 15 days, during which Tamil Nadu was expected to receive approximately 11.66 TMC of water.

The release is expected to benefit Kuruvai cultivation and meet Tamil Nadu's drinking water requirements.

Earlier, the CWRC had directed Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days from August 12. The CWMA had subsequently upheld that decision.

The court also sentenced one of the convicts to death and awarded prison terms to the other two.

Judge Suresh Kumar awarded the death penalty to Chinnakutty, 20 years imprisonment to Murugesan and 13 years imprisonment to Muneeswaran.

According to the prosecution, the victim, a 16-year-old girl from Tirunelveli, was studying in Class 12 at a school in the town in 2022.

During this period, Muneeswaran of Vilathikulam, who had come to a church in the town for painting work, became acquainted with the girl. The two had reportedly been speaking over the phone for nearly two weeks.

On the day of the incident, Muneeswaran told the girl that he would take her to his sister's house and lured her with a false promise of marriage.

Believing his words, the girl accompanied him on his motorcycle to an isolated area, according to the police.

Muneeswaran allegedly sexually assaulted her. His friends, Chinnakutty (27) and Murugesan (27), both from the Kokkirakulam and Keezh Veeraraghavapuram areas, were also present at the spot and allegedly sexually assaulted the girl.

Based on a complaint, the Palayamkottai All-Women Police registered a case and arrested all three accused. Chinnakutty was already facing murder cases, according to the police.

The trial was conducted before the Tirunelveli Special POCSO Court. Judge Suresh Kumar found Muneeswaran, Chinnakutty and Murugesan guilty.

Following the verdict, armed police personnel escorted the three convicts to the prisoners' waiting room at the court complex, where they were kept under tight security.

According to the announcement, AIADMK members interested to  contest in  the by-elections can collect the application forms from the party headquarters from Tuesday until September 10.

The announcement comes after six AIADMK MLAs who won in the recent Assembly election resigned from their posts and joined  TVK.

They are  Maragatham Kumaravel of Madurantakam,

Jayakumar of Perundurai, Sathyabama of Dharapuram, Isakki Subbaiah  Ambasamudram, C. Vijayabaskar  Viralimalai and M.R. Vijayabaskar of Karur.

Following their resignations, seven Assembly constituencies, including Tiruchirappalli East - the second seat contested by CM Joseph Vijay and won -, became vacant.

Election Commission on Monday announced that by elections will be held on October 6 in  Dharapuram and Madurantakam.

Against this backdrop, Palaniswami has asked AIADAMK members who wish to contest the by election to apply. The filled in applications should be submitted at the AIADMK headquarters by 6 PM on September 10.

The party has asked applicants to pay the application fee and provide all the required details while submitting their forms.

Four TVK ministers met CPM leaders at the party office on September 4 and invited the party to a meeting of parties participating in the government and those extending outside support, Shanmugam said.

The TVK representatives had said the meeting was intended to form a new alliance under the TVK’s leadership, evolve a common minimum programme and face the forthcoming local body and Lok Sabha elections, he said.

“After consulting our party leadership, we have decided not to participate in the meeting,” Shanmugam said.

He clarified that the decision would not affect the CPM’s support to the government.

The CPM would separately convey its suggestions to the government on issues concerning farmers, agricultural workers, workers and the people of Tamil Nadu.

It would send a written note outlining the measures it expects the TVK government to take, leaving it to the government to accept or reject them, he said.

Shanmugam said the CPM would directly inform the TVK of its decision not to attend the meeting, just as the Ministers had personally invited the party.

‘Assembly being turned into a forum for quarrels’

Shanmugam strongly criticised the functioning of the Assembly, saying it was being turned into a forum for confrontation instead of a place to discuss people's issues and formulate laws.

“The Assembly should function as an Assembly. It should discuss people's problems, find solutions and make laws. The CPM strongly condemns the manner in which it is being turned into a forum for quarrels,” he said.

While both the ruling party and the Opposition had a responsibility to maintain the dignity of the House, the ruling party had a greater responsibility, he said.

He also criticised Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay for allegedly failing to respond to questions raised during the discussion on demands for grants relating to the police and fire and rescue services.

“Did the Chief Minister answer even one of the questions raised during the discussion?” he asked, adding that the Chief Minister had other forums, such as public meetings, to speak on political issues.

On the controversy over corruption allegations and references to the Sarkaria Commission, Shanmugam said the CPM had consistently fought corruption and challenged anyone to name another party in Tamil Nadu that had fought corruption more strongly than the Communist Party.

He said the Sarkaria Commission was appointed about five decades ago in a particular context and that no proper criminal cases or arrests had resulted from its proceedings.

Bringing up the Sarkaria Commission now was an attempt to divert attention from current issues, he alleged.

Referring to the Chief Minister's statement that three files were on his table and could be opened at any time, Shanmugam asked why the government was not addressing those issues instead of referring to the Sarkaria Commission.

“If there has been corruption or irregularities, action should be taken against whoever is responsible. The CPM is firm on this. The question is whether the TVK is equally firm on this,” he said.

On the Emergency and MISA arrests, Shanmugam said Ministers should read the Ismail Commission report and other historical records before making statements.

Describing claims that those arrested under MISA were anti-social elements as “childish” and rooted in ignorance, he said thousands of Marxists had been arrested and subjected to torture during the Emergency.

According to a Daily Thanthi report, Gudalur and its surrounding areas usually receive southwest and northeast monsoon rainfall between June and November.

The Meteorological Department had already forecast that rainfall would be below normal this year.

Why is Gudalur facing a drinking water shortage threat?

Rainfall has decreased further in the past few days. With insufficient southwest monsoon rain and increasing heat this week, water flow in the region's main rivers has declined. The fall in water flow has also reduced groundwater levels, affecting agriculture.

Which rivers in Gudalur are witnessing reduced water flow?

The water flow in rivers supplying drinking water has also declined sharply. The Pandiar, Mayar, Soladi and Ponnani rivers have reportedly receded to the extent that rocks are visible.

The public has been urged to use the available drinking water economically and avoid wastage.

The Assembly election results were announced on May 4. Jayakumar contested the Perundurai constituency as an AIADMK candidate and was declared the winner by a margin of 9,693 votes. Subsequently, after voting in favour of the TVK government, Jayakumar resigned as MLA and joined the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).

Meanwhile, Thoppu Venkatachalam, who contested the election from the constituency as a DMK candidate, filed an election petition before the Madras High Court challenging Jayakumar’s victory. Jayakumar subsequently filed a petition seeking dismissal of the election petition.

Hearing the petition, Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy observed that no cause of action had been disclosed in the election petition filed by Thoppu Venkatachalam. Accordingly, the judge allowed Jayakumar’s petition and dismissed the election petition filed by Venkatachalam.

The rejection is significant as Perundurai is among the five constituencies where the Chief Justice Division Bench of the Madras High Court had restrained the Election Commission from conducting or announcing by-elections until the related election petitions are disposed of. It may be noted that Venkatachalam recently quit the DMK.

District Election Officer and Chengalpattu Collector M Veerappan announced that the election code came into effect from Monday night and will remain in force until October 11.

Municipal workers and officials have begun removing banners, posters and cut-outs put up by political parties across the constituency. The names and photographs of political leaders displayed on plaques, flagpoles and publicity boards are also being covered or removed in accordance with election regulations. Wall writings and political graffiti are being erased by painting over them.

The Madurantakam (SC) constituency has a total electorate of 2,11,295 voters, comprising 1,03,943 men, 1,07,288 women and 64 third-gender voters.

The constituency fell vacant following the resignation of its sitting MLA, Maragatham Kumaravel. She had won the seat as an AIADMK candidate in the Tamil Nadu Assembly election held on April 23. However, within days of her victory, she resigned from her Assembly membership, quit the AIADMK and joined the ruling TVK, resulting in the seat being declared vacant.

The Election Commission of India has subsequently announced by-elections for the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies.

The nomination process is scheduled to begin on September 9 and will continue until September 16. Polling will be held on October 6, while the counting of votes and declaration of results are scheduled for October 9.

Election officials have warned that carrying cash exceeding Rs 50,000 without proper supporting documents could invite action during the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct. Flying squad personnel will conduct checks on vehicles and individuals and may seize cash for which satisfactory documentation cannot be produced.

Those whose money is seized can approach the election authorities and reclaim it after producing valid accounts and supporting documents. Unaccounted cash, jewellery, gifts and other valuables suspected to be linked to electoral malpractice will be seized and deposited with the district treasury in accordance with election procedures.

To ensure the smooth and peaceful conduct of the bypoll, the Chengalpattu Collector has convened a meeting of representatives of all recognised political parties on Tuesday.

As soon as the House proceedings commenced, DMK Whip EV Velu, referring to Vijay's statement on Monday, demanded that references made by the chief minister on matters such as ED's allegations of graft be removed from House records as it contravened rules.

Velu also objected to references to Sarkaria Commission maintaining that no offences were made out.

Law Minister R Nirmalkumar defended the CM's statement based on Sarkaria Commission report and the ED's official documents and reiterated allegations of corruption against the then DMK regime.

The DMK members objected to it.

As Speaker JCD Prabhakar ruled against expunction of CM's remarks, noisy slogans by the DMK MLAs continued.

Several DMK MLAs gathered in front of the Speaker's podium, pressed their demand and continued with sloganeering.

Leader of the House KA Sengottaiyan demanded action against them in compliance with House rules.

Eventually, Speaker ordered the marshals to evict them and his directive was followed by them.

While being taken out of the Assembly hall, DMK MLAs continued to raise slogans on the issue.

The nondescript village near Usilampatti in Madurai came to national attention in 2008 after the oppressed community and the Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front of the CPM protested the existence of an ‘untouchability wall’ between the houses of members of the Devendrakula Velalar (a Scheduled Caste community) and Pillaimar, a dominant caste in southern Tamil Nadu.

Though the then DMK government headed by chief minister M Karunanidhi demolished a portion of the wall, the key point of contention – the rights of Devendrakula Velalar community members to worship at the Muthalamman temple, which belongs to the Pillaimar community, and the peepal tree located within its premises – had remained unresolved for nearly 30 years. Although temple festivals had been conducted over the years, the customary Abhishekams and Utsavams for the deities were not being performed.

“…to find a permanent solution to the worship-related problems of the petition temple by executing the order to be passed within legal rules regarding the rights dispute between the two communities, it is essential to establish the right to worship for everyone as guaranteed under Article 25 of the Indian Constitution, and to bring the petition temple under the direct control of the HR&CE,” said V Sabaramathi, Joint Commissioner, HR&CE Department.

The order was issued based on the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court's April 21, 2025, judgment in a writ appeal, which directed the Joint Commissioner (Dindigul) to initiate proceedings under the HR&CE Act to determine the customary practice governing worship of the Thala Virutcham (peepal tree).

The representatives of the two communities held discussions in 1989 to resolve the dispute. As per the agreement reached on June 23, 1989, Devendrakula Velalars were restricted from worshipping or offering respects to the Peepal tree. They could come only up to the bridge on the panchayat road branching southwards from the main road on the day of Kayiru Kuthum, worship the deity, and leave. Only the regular Maruladis (deity-possessors) and the priest were permitted to enter the area.

Despite the agreement, several peace committee meetings in the presence of Revenue and police officials, and even various orders being passed by the High Court, the dispute continued to fester.

The order noted that no specific solution to the dispute over worship of the peepal tree was reached even at the peace committee meeting held on October 20, 2011, under the chairmanship of the police superintendent. Subsequently, in writ petition No. 10500 of 2010, the Madurai Bench directed the district administration to take appropriate measures to implement the agreement reached under the leadership of the SP. Against this backdrop, the bench directed the HR&CE Department to address the dispute over worship of the temple.

Following this, the Assistant Commissioner of Theni and the Inspector of the Peraiyur Range have been directed to take immediate action to bring the temple under the direct control of the HR&CE Department.

Justice V Lakshminarayanan directed the police to respond to the petition and posted the matter to September 9.

S Anbumani, a Tirupur district executive committee member of the Hindu Munnani, filed the petition seeking a direction to the Tirupur District Superintendent of Police to consider his application for permission to install a Vinayagar idol and conduct a procession in Kattupalayam from September 14 to 17 as part of the Vinayagar Chathurthi celebrations.

He stated that he was ready to comply with the conditions and regulations issued annually for the procession.

When the case came up for hearing, the government counsel said the district police would be consulted, and a response would be filed granting permission for the installation of the Vinayagar idol and the procession.

Having done his homework, the TVK chief first referred to the Sarkaria Commission report that raised the spectre of suspicion about the then DMK chief Karunanidhi, before deftly using the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) documents to train the fire on Stalin and Udhayanidhi.

Vijay cited an ED report on alleged collection of commissions ranging from 7.5% to 10% between 2021 and 2025 in the name of party funds by the Municipal Administration Department, and said the central agency named Stalin and Udhayanidhi, the then chief minister and deputy chief minister respectively, as the direct beneficiaries.

He then quickly moved on to everyone’s favourite punching bag, Tasmac. "The ED had alleged in its report that the then minister in charge of the [Prohibition and Excise] department misused his power," Vijay said.

A person named Rathish wielded powers to transfer all district revenue officers in Tasmac and the then MD of the corporation acted on his instructions, Vijay alleged, adding that after the TVK-led government came to power, Rathish fled to Dubai.

Similarly, he added, the ED report said the then minister V Senthilbalaji’s brother Ashokkumar was involved in fixing transport tenders in Tasmac. "The ED mentioned in its report that the Karur gang collected party funds from bar owners. We, and the people, are eager to know who the leader of the gang is," Vijay said, noting how the central agency has said that the gang was fleecing Rs 10-Rs 100 from customers in an organised manner.

Vijay vowed that the TVK-led government would demolish what he described as the DMK's "fake image".

Referring to the political legacy of three icons from South India – CN Annadurai, MG Ramachandran, and NT Ramarao – he said: “The next is me."

The fiery speech and the dramatic manner in which it was delivered did not, obviously, amuse the DMK members, who were on their feet but were largely drowned by the desk-breaking thumping by the ruling party MLAs.

When Speaker JCD Prabhakar refused to allow Udhayanidhi to respond to the allegations, the DMK members protested for nearly half an hour, repeatedly seeking an opportunity to give their explanation to the charges. Some of them even staged a sit-in before the Speaker's chair.

The proceedings threatened to reach a flash point when the Speaker directed the marshals to remove the DMK members. But, after both Leader of the House KA Sengottaiyan and Vijay appealed to the Speaker to allow the Opposition to respond, Prabhakar initially agreed to allow Udhayanidhi, only to rescind the decision. The DMK members, led by Udhayanidhi, subsequently walked out of the Assembly.

The Bill was subsequently passed by the House on Monday. Prior to the revision, MLAs received a total monthly salary and allowances of around Rs 1.05 lakh, including compensatory, telephone, and constituency allowances, among other benefits. Following the latest revision, their total monthly salary and allowances will increase to around Rs 2.05 lakh.

Revenue and Disaster Management Minister KA Sengottaiyan introduced the Bill in the House. The legislation follows the Chief Minister's announcement in the Assembly on August 19, 2026, that a vehicle would be provided to every MLA to help them effectively serve the public and discharge their constituency-related duties.

The Chief Minister had also announced that the vehicle allowance for MLAs would be increased from Rs 25,000 to Rs 75,000 per month. In addition, a Personal Assistant allowance of Rs 25,000 per month would be sanctioned for every MLA.

Responding to remarks on his speech at a Tiruvannamalai district general council meeting, Basha said he had only conveyed the views expressed by his party leader.

Speaking later, Minorities Welfare Minister AM Shahjahan asked who had approached the IUML on May 7 seeking its support for a particular person as the next chief minister. He alleged that the DMK had initially decided to prevent a government being formed under the leadership of C Joseph Vijay before changing its position.

Going a step ahead, he alleged that two MLAs were confined at a hotel and threatened, adding that details would be revealed if required.

Public Works Minister Aadhav Arjuna said the TVK had held discussions with leaders of the IUML, VCK and the Left parties, but denied holding individual negotiations with any MLA.

After finding his party being caught in the crossfire between TVK and DMK, senior AIADMK leader and MLA Agri SS Krishnamurthy rejected the allegations that his party and the DMK had tried to join hands to thwart the TVK from coming to power.

The two seats are among seven vacancies in the Tamil Nadu Assembly. The EC, however, has not announced polls for Tiruchy East, Ambasamudram, Viralimalai, Perundurai, and Karur, where election-related cases concerning the returned candidates are pending. The restraint on holding by-elections in these five constituencies has been extended till September 8.

The announcement brought the Model Code of Conduct into force immediately in Madurantakam and Dharapuram. According to the schedule, nominations can be filed from September 9 to 16, scrutiny will be held on September 17, the last date for withdrawal is September 19, and counting of votes will take place on October 9.

The two constituencies fell vacant after AIADMK legislators Maragatham Kumaravel and Sathyabama resigned as MLAs and joined the TVK. They are likely to be fielded by the ruling party, though the TVK is yet to formally announce its candidates.

The bypolls assume political significance as they come barely three months after the TVK formed the government. A victory in both constituencies would provide a boost to the ruling party’s numbers and help demonstrate that its electoral support has remained intact after assuming power.

The contests also come against the backdrop of differences between the TVK and some of its allies. The CPI has held protests over rising prices, while the CPM has differed with the State government on various issues. The Congress has warned that it could reconsider its participation in the cabinet unless Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is accepted as the alliance's Prime Ministerial candidate.

The principal Opposition DMK has lost all its major allies to the TVK. The AIADMK-led alliance, in contrast, has remained intact despite six of its MLAs quitting the party and joining the TVK. At the same time, some senior leaders and MLAs rebelled against AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami.

The DMK, AIADMK, and BJP are expected to mount an aggressive campaign against the TVK in both constituencies. For the AIADMK, the bopolls are particularly significant as the vacancies were caused by the defection of its legislators to the TVK.

In a social media post, the AIADMK IT Wing alleged that the Chief Minister spoke loudly without presenting data or substantive answers to questions on the State’s law-and-order situation. It also accused him of deviating from the issues that should have been addressed during the debate on the police department’s grant requests and of delivering a political speech instead.

Taking a jibe at the Chief Minister, the IT Wing compared his speech to the spoof film Tamizh Padam, starring actor Mirchi Shiva, saying it was high on noise and drama.

It further remarked that if a “Best Loudspeaker Award” were given for speeches, the Chief Minister’s speech in the Assembly on Monday would deserve it.

The opposition party also alleged that Vijay had failed to answer questions on law and order with supporting statistics.

Meanwhile, AIADMK whip Agri Krishnamurthy asserted in the Assembly that the AIADMK was not a party that depended on others, but one that led on its own strength. He warned that the party would not remain silent if anyone made negative comments against the AIADMK.

CPI state secretary M Veerapandian has urged all parties to uphold legislative democracy and protect the dignity of the Assembly, while calling for action against women being subjected to derogatory remarks on social media as well.

He said Assembly proceedings in a vibrant democracy should focus on discussing people’s demands and problems and finding solutions. Instead of listening to the Opposition’s voice and responding appropriately, valuable Assembly time was being wasted through arguments dominated by shouting, he alleged.

The ruling party had a greater responsibility to protect legislative traditions and democracy, Veerapandian said. He also urged the Speaker to function in a neutral manner.

Responding to Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s statement in the Assembly that action would be taken against anyone making derogatory remarks about women, Veerapandian said the announcement was welcome. He also urged the government to take action against the denigration of women on social media platforms.

Dhanapal and his family were seated in the visitors' gallery when the Commercial Taxes and Registration Department's Demand for Grants debate was taken up in the House. They watched as Logesh Tamilselvan addressed the Assembly.

Welcoming Dhanapal and his family, Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar quoted a Tirukkural which conveys that a mother feels greater joy when she hears her son being praised as a worthy and accomplished person than she did at the time of his birth.

Dhanapal and his family listened to the Minister's speech from the gallery. The former Speaker's visit drew attention in the Assembly, as he watched his son participate in the proceedings as a Minister. The occasion also marked a significant family moment.

Speaking during the Demand for Grants debate, the Minister said climate change had led to more frequent forest fires in the State. Instead of relying on temporary measures, the government would introduce a comprehensive forest fire management system to strengthen prevention and firefighting efforts.

He said the new system would be implemented over a five year period with an allocation of Rs 60.58 crore. The initiative aims to improve the State's preparedness and response to forest fires and to protect forests and wildlife from damage.

The Minister also said Tamil Nadu currently has 26,450.22 sq km of forest area. In addition, the state has 5,370.72 sq km of tree cover, taking the total forest and tree cover to 31,820.94 sq km, which accounts for 24.47 per cent of the state's geographical area.

Ranjithkumar said the Tamil Nadu government would work towards increasing the state's forest and tree cover to 33 per cent of its total geographical area.

Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat, Premallatha welcomed Joseph Vijay's assurance in the Assembly that strict action would be taken against those making defamatory remarks against women, but said the government should also take note of alleged objectionable posts by TVK members.

"TVK members themselves are posting objectionable content against women. I have brought this to the government's attention in the Assembly," she said.

Turning to the police department's grant demands, she said lakhs of people across Tamil Nadu were awaiting major announcements for the police force, but there was no significant announcement in the Chief Minister's speech. But instead of Chief Minister Vijay, Law Minister R Nirmalkumar rose and responded to her, alleging that DMK fake IDs were involved in such cases, without substantiating his charges.

Meanwhile, the DMDK chief also sought promotions, salary hikes and permanent promotions for personnel on the waiting list.

Premallatha urged the government to step up the fight against cybercrime, alleging that posts were being circulated in India from Pakistan.

She further sought financial assistance and employment for the families of persons who died in police custody, saying the absence of any announcement for them was disappointing.

Last year, the spending was heavily concentrated on the Tindivanam-Nagari project, which accounted for Rs 169.28 crore. The 184.45-km project sanctioned in 2006 at an estimated cost of Rs 3,631.34 crore has reported 16% physical progress. In contrast, the Madurai-Thoothukudi line via Aruppukkottai spent only Rs 12.19 crore, Morappur-Dharmapuri Rs 10.72 crore, and Rameshwaram-Dhanushkodi a meagre Rs 0.35 crore.

Four major projects – Tindivanam-Tiruvannamalai, Chennai-Cuddalore via Mahabalipuram, Attipattu-Puttur, and Erode-Palani – had received Rs 187.5 crore in 2025-26, but recorded no spending.

"If the allocation and spending is this low, even the land acquisition process cannot be initiated. It shows the Southern Railway has no interest in getting things done," said Dayanand Krishnan, who obtained the RTI information.

For 2026-27, Tindivanam-Gingee-Tiruvannamalai, Attipattu-Puttur, and Chennai-Mahabalipuram-Cuddalore, which were brought to life after remaining on the ice for long, have been given only Rs 1 crore each, while Erode-Palani has received nil. Despite accounting for most of last year's spending, Tindivanam-Nagari line has received lesser allocation – to Rs 334.7 crore from Rs 347.7 crore.

The 10 new-line projects together cover 870.78 km and have an estimated cost of Rs 16,841.34 crore. Only Rs. 497.57 crore has been provided for 2026-27, which works out to only 2.95% of the estimated project cost.

The current year's funding is concentrated on two projects: Tindivanam-Nagari (Rs 334.7 crore) and Sriperumbudur-Guduvanchery Phase-I project (Rs 100 crore). The latter is a Rs 3,136 crore, 60-km project to provide cargo connectivity from the Chennai Peripheral Industrial Corridor to Chennai Port.

The funding concerns extend to doubling and multi-tracking projects as well. Katpadi-Villupuram has been allocated Rs 2 crore this year, less than 1/100 of Rs 200.45 crore allocated in 2025-26. Salem-Karur-Dindigul and Erode-Karur lines have fallen to Rs 5 crore each from Rs 100 crore each.

The 14 doubling and multi-tracking projects cover about 658 km, with an estimated project cost of Rs 8,173.35 crore, but received only Rs 342.10 crore allocation in 2026-27.

When CPI MLA K Marimuthu raised a query during the debate on the demands for grants for the Forest and Registration departments, he asked whether the government would constitute a separate board to retrieve the Panchami lands.

Replying to him, the minister said that the successive governments have, till date, identified around 1.86 lakh acres under the Panchami category. However, the present government has now decided to constitute a commission to identify the lands.

Tracing back the history, he said that 12 lakh acres were handed over to Dalits under the Panchami category by the British rulers, a large tract of which was encroached upon by others. He said that during the AIADMK regime between 1991 and 1996, a separate committee, headed by the then Minister SD Somasundaram, was constituted to identify the lands.

Subsequently, the DMK and AIADMK governments constituted the Justice Maruthamuthu and officials' committees, respectively.

Reacting to Joseph Vijay’s remarks during the debate on the police department’s demands for grants, Nainar Nagenthran said, “The Assembly is not your cinema studio, Joseph Vijay. The people of Tamil Nadu are not exclamation marks in your party to applaud your string of dialogues.”

Nainar claimed that 10 murders had been reported in Coimbatore over the past month and two murders in Chennai on Sunday. He also alleged that six custodial deaths had occurred since the TVK government assumed office and that some police personnel deployed for security duties were behaving improperly with members of the public.

The former minister said Joseph Vijay should have addressed these issues in the Assembly, taken responsibility for the law-and-order situation and proposed measures to ensure the safety of people and their property.

Nainar questions CMO shift

In a separate statement, Nainar Nagenthran alleged that Rs 6.17 crore in public funds was spent to shift the Chief Minister’s Office to the 10th floor of Namakkal Kavignar Maaligai and questioned the justification for the expenditure.

“On one hand, the government has announced a new Secretariat at a cost of Rs 1,200 crore. Why, then, spend so much on a temporary office?” he asked.

The BJP leader further claimed that farmers were struggling because of inadequate paddy storage facilities and said the government should instead spend the money on public welfare.

“Change should be reflected in people’s lives, not in the walls of the Chief Minister’s Office,” Nainar added.

Police said Vijayabalan (42) from Veeramaruthi Street on Avinashi Road attempted to sexually assault his 19-year-old stepdaughter past Sunday midnight, when his wife Visalakshi woke up and strongly objected to his behaviour.

The girl was born from Visalakshi’s first marriage. Following the death of her first husband, she married Vijayabalan, and the couple had two sons, aged 15 and 11.

After a heated argument, Vijayabalan took out a knife and slit the neck of his wife, who died on the spot after bleeding profusely. The girl, who was in shock, managed to escape from the house and locked the door from outside. She then alerted the police using a neighbour’s mobile phone.

After a heated argument, Vijayabalan took out a knife and slit the neck of his wife, who died on the spot after bleeding profusely

Meanwhile, Vijayabalan broke open the door, took his two sons with him and fled the house on a two-wheeler. Soon after, personnel from the 15 Velampalayam police station arrived at the scene and sent the woman’s body for post-mortem. Special police teams have been formed to trace and apprehend the accused.

In another murder case, an unidentified man was found dead nude inside a hollow-block shack in Sulur near Coimbatore on Monday. Police suspect that the man, aged around 35 to 40, was killed after being struck on the head with a stone.

The name “Rameshvar” was tattooed on his right hand, and police are investigating to establish his identity and the circumstances surrounding his death.

However, for centres functioning in the city, there is still no clarity on the meal funds pending from the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) through the Social Welfare department.

The centres, operating across 13 districts, had reportedly not received their monthly financial assistance since March. The delay had forced several NGOs to manage the facilities with their own resources for multiple expenses, including food, rent, electricity, water and staff salaries.

The monthly allocation for the centres includes a recurring assistance of Rs 43,500. The funding delay had raised concerns over the continuation of essential services, particularly meals and recreational activities for elderly beneficiaries.

Hence, the release of the funds has finally eased the financial burden on the NGOs and helped ensure uninterrupted functioning of the centres.

The Anbucholai initiative was introduced as a day-care and engagement programme for senior citizens, offering meals, recreation, social interaction and support for those facing loneliness and isolation by the previous DMK government.

Now, the TVK government has renamed the scheme as "Senior Citizens Recreation Centres" and allocated Rs 10 crore for establishing 25 such centres in municipal corporations.

In his petition, Dhana Vimal alleged that Vijayabaskar, then AIADMK Pudukkottai district secretary, contacted him on November 19, 2025, and asked him to arrange Rs 5 crore to show his financial capacity for election expenses.

Vijayabaskar promised to return the money after his candidature was announced.

He directed Dhana to hand over the money (Rs 4.5 crore) to contractor Sothuppalai Murugesan, which he did on March 11, 2026. After his candidature was announced, Vijayabaskar returned Rs 50 lakh, but the remaining Rs 4 crore was not returned, Dhana claimed.

Dhana said he lodged a complaint with the Pudukkottai SP on July 30, but no FIR has been registered so far.

The case was heard by Justice V Lakshminarayanan. The police said a preliminary inquiry had begun and the petitioner was summoned for inquiry on September 10.

The judge adjourned the case to September 15 and directed the police to submit a progress report.

Muthuraman of Railway Feeder Road, Tirunelveli, filed the public interest litigation seeking directions to relocate the spotted deer to areas suitable for their habitat. He also sought a direction to the authorities not to permit the establishment of new industries in the areas until the relocation exercise was completed.

Hearing the petition, a division bench comprising Justices CV Karthikeyan and Sakthivel directed the respondents to file their counter-affidavits and posted the next hearing of this case on 4th November.

CPM state secretary P Shanmugam on Monday said the TVK government is adopting a soft stance towards the Union government and is not doing enough to secure Tamil Nadu's rightful share of funds.

Speaking at a party conference in Dharmapuri, Shanmugam said the State government was merely writing letters to the Centre instead of pressing for the funds due to Tamil Nadu.

“The Centre is refusing to release the rightful share of funds due to the states. However, the State government has adopted a soft approach and is merely writing letters to the Centre,” he said.

Criticising the state government for not convening an all-party meeting to evolve a consensus on the Cauvery water issue, Shanmugam urged the government to take steps to ensure that Karnataka released the Cauvery water due to Tamil Nadu in accordance with the Supreme Court’s verdict. “Failure to secure the required water would adversely affect foodgrain production in the State,” he said.

He also opposed the proposed Mekedatu reservoir project in Karnataka, saying that Tamil Nadu could face a shortage of Cauvery water if the project was implemented. “The Union government should nationalise rivers,” he said.

On the proposed delimitation of parliamentary constituencies, Shanmugam said Tamil Nadu’s representation in parliament could decline if the exercise were carried out on a population basis.

Prema of Cholapuram, near Kumbakonam, is a widow with two daughters. Through agents from Kallakurichi, she had gone to Kuwait for domestic work about 10 months ago. She was harassed by agents in Kuwait who made her work for over 20 hours a day without the salary she was promised. Prema said that she was promised 120 Kuwaiti dinars per month but was never paid the agreed amount.

She had worked in two or three houses in Kuwait. When she requested to be sent back home, the agents demanded Rs 2 lakh. She further claimed that she was threatened that she would not be sent back to India unless she paid the money. The agents locked her inside a separate room and denied her proper food and drinking water.

Unable to bear the situation, Prema recorded a video explaining her condition and shared it on social media seeking help. Following this, the Tamil Nadu Domestic Workers Welfare Trust, a voluntary organisation, intervened and took steps to rescue her.

Prema was brought to Oman and landed at the Chennai airport on Monday. Organisation members received her and arranged for her to reach home.

"I worked in two or three houses in Kuwait. I was badly treated. I was kept locked inside a separate room at the agent's office for two months. They also did not provide me with proper food," she told reporters at the airport.

She said four other women from Kerala and Andhra Pradesh, who had also gone to Kuwait for domestic work, faced similar problems. "We informed the police in Kuwait about our situation, but no action was taken.

People should be careful and should not go abroad for domestic work trusting such agents. No one should face the kind of problems I went through. Strict action should be taken against agents who cheat and exploit workers," she said.

But Chef Goku says there is much more to Tamil food than these familiar dishes.

His new project with Nirupama Reddy, Tamil Quarter, explores the lesser-known food traditions of Tamil Nadu and Tamil communities across the world.

“I have been working on this project for the last two years, documenting recipes from different regions and communities. There are so many food traditions within Tamil Nadu that are not usually represented. We wanted to bring those dishes back and showcase the different varieties of Tamil food,” says Goku.

Tamil Quarter, a food revival project and dining experience, is an initiative of Pushpa’s Kitchen.

The project looks at food through the regions, communities and people behind it, working with farmers, fisherfolk, pastoral communities, indigenous communities, home cooks, artisans and small producers.

“We wanted to document these recipes and understand the communities and people behind them. A lot of these recipes are passed down through generations, but they are not documented,” he says.

The project also looks beyond Tamil Nadu, tracing how Tamil food has travelled through migration and evolved in countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago, Pakistan and Myanmar.

“Tamils have been living in these places for generations and their food has evolved according to the ingredients available there. But the core of the food is still Tamil,” points out Goku.

Tamil Quarter will function as a dining experience, with a new chapter every three months.

The experience will take place three of four consecutive days every month, with each chapter focusing on a particular region, community or food tradition.

The first chapter, running from September to November 2026, focuses on the Gulf of Mannar, covering the coastal stretch from Thoothukudi to Rameswaram, including Kayalpattinam, Mandapam and Ramanathapuram.

The food traditions of the region have been shaped by the sea, fishing communities, local ingredients and migration, including the influence of Sri Lankan refugees who travelled along this coast.

“For the first three months, we are focusing on the Gulf of Mannar region, stretching from Thoothukudi to Rameswaram and covering Kayalpattinam, Mandapam and Ramanathapuram. It is a coastal stretch and there is also a lot of Sri Lankan influence because refugees came through this route by boat. Those are some of the stories we are telling,” he says.

The Gulf of Mannar menu will feature 12 courses, largely following traditional methods. Goku says every detail has been researched and documented, while a few dishes have been given a contemporary interpretation.

“Usually, Tamils put a sweet on the elai, and the meal starts with a sweet and ends with a sweet. One of the most unique things from the Gulf of Mannar is a kathrikkai dessert, which we are showcasing,” he says.

Another dish is Mudalur muscoth halwa, a sweet with Sri Lankan influence that became part of Thoothukudi’s food culture.

The menu will also feature ingredients and preparations such as koolichor with sea urchin roe thuvayal, seaweed keerai kootu, bringing lesser-known coastal food traditions to the table. “I wanted people to taste and see these foods. There are so many lesser-known ingredients and preparations from different regions of Tamil Nadu and we want to bring them into the dining experience,” says Goku.

The second chapter, from December 2026 to February 2027, will move to Kumbakonam and the surrounding Cauvery delta, focusing on agraharam and temple food traditions.

The dining experience will explore vegetarian food, temple offerings, festive preparations and lesser-known dishes from Tamil Brahmin households.

“The Kumbakonam food pop-up is also during Margazhi season, so we wanted to showcase vegetarian food and temple food, including lesser-known preparations that are not usually presented,” he adds.

The third chapter, from March to May 2027, will travel to Penang, Malaysia, to explore the food of the Tamil diaspora.

Goku has already researched the region and plans to return for further research. “For Penang, I have done a lot of research and I will be going there again. The idea is to understand how Tamil food has evolved there while still retaining its core,” he says.

For Goku, Tamil Quarter is not just about recreating forgotten dishes. It is also about documenting the people, ingredients and stories connected to them.

“It is a passion project for Nirupama ma’am and me. We want to tell these stories through food and make people curious about the different food traditions within Tamil culture,” he says.

Tamil Quarter will officially launch on September 27 at Hanu Reddy Residences, Poes Garden. For more on the project, check out @tamil.quarter, @chefgokuny and @pushpaskitchenofficial on Instagram.

Sasikala (37), who works as a cleanliness worker in Kambur panchayat, had lodged a complaint with the Kottampatti police alleging that Roopa had humiliated and threatened her by referring to her caste.

Based on the complaint, police registered a case against Roopa under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and conducted an investigation.

Meanwhile, Sasikala attempted to commit suicide by consuming poison, allegedly because some persons had threatened her to withdraw the complaint. She was rescued and is undergoing treatment at the Melur Government Hospital.

Police have also registered a case against seven persons who allegedly threatened Sasikala and are conducting an investigation.

Meanwhile, in connection with the incident, the Kottampatti Block Development Officer ordered the dismissal of Kambur panchayat secretary Roopa from service.

It is said that the physical appearance of a 15-year-old girl appeared unusual, and her parents, who noticed it, made an inquiry with the girl, who later narrated the incident.

She informed her parents that an 18-year-old boy who is also related to her had reportedly sexually abused her with a promise of marriage.

Subsequently, the parents lodged a complaint with the Pattukkottai All Women Police, who registered a case under various sections of the BNS, including the Pocso Act.

On Monday, the police arrested the boy. Further investigations are on.

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.

According to police, the boy was reportedly friendly with a girl from another community.

Her father had allegedly warned and reprimanded the boy a few weeks ago to stop communicating with her.

On the day the boy went missing, the man had reportedly spoken to him over the phone, raising suspicion about his possible involvement, said the police source.

Police are investigating the case from various angles to find the real cause of the death.

The couple surrendered before the Dindigul JM-2 Court in connection with a case registered by the Crime Branch-CID in Dindigul. Following their surrender, the Dindigul police secured them and handed them over to the Madurai EOW.

The accused allegedly cheated rural women by operating an investment scheme that promised to double their money in 45 days and offered returns in US dollars. The scheme was operated through an application called FQL Exchange (fqlin.com), which the accused allegedly helped the investors download on their mobile phones.

The first complaints in the case were filed with the Melur police by people who claimed to have been cheated in the scheme. Subsequently, thousands of people came forward to lodge complaints. Following this, Director General of Police Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal transferred the case to the EOW for investigation.

Sources said there are as many as 511 cleanliness workers employed on a contract basis who are given Rs 450 per day.

They said that the wage has been fixed at Rs 750 per day and an agreement was made by the previous Collector of the district, but it has not been followed till now.

The cleanliness workers commenced their protest from August 10 in front of the Karur Corporation seeking the implementation of new wage pact

In order to implement the order of the previous district collector on wage, the cleanliness workers commenced their protest from August 10 in front of the Karur Corporation, and the Commissioner who met them assured of the wage hike with immediate effect, but it has not been implemented so far.

The disappointed workers converged in the Collectorate premises on Monday and staged a sit-in protest.

The Cleanliness Workers Union Treasurer Karunanidhi, who led the protest, said that the officials are not keen on the welfare of the workers.

Despite the repeated protests and petitions, the officials show the least interest. He warned that the workers would intensify the protest if their wages were not disbursed as per the agreement.

Justice Anand Venkatesh made the observation while hearing a contempt petition filed by Arappor Iyakkam over the delay in proceedings against former minister SP Velumani and IAS officers KS Kandasamy and K Vijayakarthikeyan in a tender irregularities case.

"How difficult is it to register corruption cases against powerful people in this country? If there were no public-spirited persons or judges, there would be no corruption cases against anyone. Everyone would be a holy cow," the court remarked.

The DVAC had registered a case alleging irregularities to the tune of Rs 98.25 crore in the award of contracts for works in the Chennai and Coimbatore Corporations when Velumani was the Municipal Administration and Water Supply minister.

Later, Arappor filed a contempt petition against DVAC for failing to comply with an earlier direction of the High Court to file the charge sheet in the case.

The court then directed the Union government to explain the delay in granting sanction to prosecute the IAS officers.

When the case was taken up again on Monday, the Union government said it had received the Tamil Nadu government's letter seeking sanction to prosecute the officers on July 28 and that the matter was under consideration.

When it was informed that the State had sent a reminder to the Centre on August 27, the judge asked how much the court had to insist on to obtain sanction to prosecute officers in a corruption case, and adjourned the hearing to September 16.