Madras HC dismisses K N Nehru’s review plea in cash-for-jobs scam

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has dismissed former Minister K N Nehru’s review petition challenging its direction to register an FIR over allegations of bribes totalling Rs 634 crore for 2,538 appointments in the MAWS Department.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan has dismissed a review application filed by former DMK Minister K N Nehru in the cash-for-jobs scam case, refusing to make any changes to its earlier direction. The Bench also closed the contempt petition filed by AIADMK MP I S Inbadurai.

The matter relates to a communication sent by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeking registration of a case over allegations that bribes amounting to Rs. 634 crore were collected for 2,538 appointments to posts, including Assistant Engineer, Junior Engineer and Sanitary Inspector, in the Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) Department. It was alleged that candidates were recruited by obtaining illegal gratification ranging from Rs. 25 lakh to Rs. 35 lakh per post.

Based on the ED’s communication, AIADMK MP I S Inbadurai and K Athinarayanan, president of the Maruthu Senai Society, Madurai, filed a petition before the Madras High Court seeking directions to the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police (DGP) to register a case.

After hearing the parties, the Chief Justice-led Bench, on February 20, 2026, directed that an FIR be registered forthwith. Subsequently, Inbadurai filed a contempt petition, contending that no FIR had been registered despite the court’s direction.

Former Minister K N Nehru later filed a review petition seeking reconsideration of the order on the ground that it had been passed without hearing him.