The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) has reopened its investigation into a Rs 27.9 crore bribery case involving former Housing minister Vaithilingam, who served during the AIADMK regime. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) ordered a fresh probe into allegations that he accepted the amount as a bribe from a private construction company.
Background of the Case
According to officials, the bribery case was registered on February 24, 2024, during the DMK government’s tenure. A complaint alleged that Vaithilingam accepted Rs 27.9 crore from a private construction firm in exchange for official favours. The case was subsequently taken up for investigation by the DVAC.
Vaithilingam resigned from his MLA post in January and later left the AIADMK to join the DMK. During a recent court hearing on the bribery complaint, it was informed that the case against him was closed in February.
Controversy Over Closure
The disclosure led to criticism from various quarters, with questions being raised over whether the closure of the case was linked to Vaithilingam’s decision to leave the AIADMK and join the DMK. The criticism prompted renewed public attention to the matter.
Following these developments, ACB director Arun ordered a reinvestigation into the allegations. The DVAC has reopened the case and will conduct a fresh inquiry into the bribery complaint and the circumstances surrounding the earlier closure of the investigation.
Current Status
The investigation is in progress, and no further details have been officially disclosed.
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About the Author
A Selvaraj, widely known as Crime Selvaraj, is a veteran journalist with over 31 years of experience in crime reporting across leading Tamil and English newspapers. He has covered historic events, including the deaths of former Tamil Nadu Chief Ministers Jayalalithaa and M. Karunanidhi, the IPL betting scam, and the Kanchi Seer Sankararaman murder case. A familiar face in the digital space, he has given more than 500 interviews across 30 YouTube channels, with millions of views on social media. He has also featured in international documentaries on Netflix and Bloomberg, speaking on high-profile cases such as idol smuggler Subhash Kapoor and conman Sukesh Chandrasekar. Beyond journalism, he has acted in three films including the Tamil movie DNA, trained over 200 budding journalists, directed short films, and authored the English crime-poetry collection Chilled Love. His contributions have earned him the TOI Scribe Award and the Humanitarian Award from former Governor Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan.
