Chennai- AIADMK general secretary and Leader of the Opposition in Tamil Nadu Assembly Edappadi K. Palaniswami demanded that the police immediately register a First Information Report (FIR) in connection with the alleged Rs 800-crore recruitment scam in the state government's Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) Department.

In a strongly worded statement, Palaniswami said the large-scale "irregularities" in the recruitment process "shattered the dreams of thousands of honest and hardworking youths" who aspired to secure government employment through merit. He alleged that bribes ranging from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 35 lakh per candidate were collected by intermediaries acting on behalf of senior politicians and officials. "The job racket, orchestrated by Minister K.N. Nehru, his relatives, and select department officials, has converted the sacred process of public recruitment into a money-minting operation," he charged.

Palaniswami added that the scandal had now come to light following a series of Income Tax and Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids across Tamil Nadu earlier this year. According to him, the ED has already submitted a detailed dossier, supported by documents and witness statements, to the Director General of Police (DGP), urging that a case be registered under relevant sections of the law so that the matter could be investigated under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Palaniswami said, "The ED's findings pointed to a massive cash-for-jobs network operating within the MAWS Department, involving the manipulation of examination results and interview lists to favour candidates who paid bribes." "The DMK regime's greed for commissions has destroyed the future of Tamil Nadu's youth," he said. He urged the DGP to order an impartial investigation through the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to ensure that no one, regardless of position or political affiliation, is shielded. "The Stalin government has turned recruitment into a business venture. The people of Tamil Nadu will not forgive those who sold government jobs," Palaniswami warned, calling upon the Governor and Central agencies to monitor the probe to guarantee fairness and accountability. (IANS)