DVAC names DMK leader K N Nehru, brothers in Rs 1,020 cr corruption case

Chennai: The DVAC has registered an FIR naming former minister K N Nehru as "prime accused" and 12 others in the Rs 1,020 crore-corruption case involving major government tender manipulation and bribe collection.

The FIR named the DMK leader's brothers and also two former DMK legislators - S Sudarshanam (A10) and J J Ebenezer (A11) in the case accusing them of recommending contractors and sharing tender details and alleged bribe calculations.

The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption's document claimed that the DMK leader had facilitated access to senior bureaucrats and "influenced" tender-awarding procedures.


The former Municipal Administration and Water Supply department minister allowed his brothers to coordinate with his close associate to collect illegal gratification under the guise of "party funds" from contractors and public servants, the document said alleging wrongful gain of Rs 1,020 crore, stating illegal gratification was collected at 7.5 to 10 percent of the contract value as "party funds."

The case was registered on Friday following a DVAC enquiry based on the Enforcement Directorate's 258-page report alleging irregularities in government contract from 2021 and 2025.

It said Nehru was the prime accused and his brothers - K N Manivannan (A2) and N Ravichandran (A3) - have been coordinating the collection and routing the illegal gratification.

It further claimed that Nehru allowed his brothers to coordinate with his close associate Kavi Prasad to collect the illegal gratification from contractors and public servants that was allegedly passed on to him, naming certain firms based in Avinasi and Tiruppur that had provided the money.

Coimbatore town planning officer and regional engineers of Tiruppur have also been accused of "facilitating" municipal works and kickbacks. It also named a proprietor and office-bearers of Chennai based construction firm and unknown officials.

The document relies on exchanges on WhatsApp dated September 6, 2021, between Sudarshanam and Prasad, and also of Ebenezer in the case that had originated from the ED report on December 3, 2025.

Receipts were also recovered from Manivannan's phone.