Tamil Nadu Minister for Municipal Administration, Urban and Water Supply, K.N. Nehru, has approached the Madras High Court to challenge a previous ruling that called for an FIR to be filed regarding alleged bribery in appointments within the MAWS Department. The court had instructed the DVAC to initiate a case based on information provided by the Enforcement Directorate, suggesting potential misconduct.
Representing the minister, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi argued that Nehru was not given a chance to present his side before the order was issued. Rohatgi requested the court to suspend the directive until the review petition is addressed, highlighting that Nehru faced accusations without a fair hearing.
The court, after reviewing the records, noted uncertainty regarding whether Nehru was formally informed about the allegations. Recognizing the importance of a thorough hearing, the court postponed the case to the end of June, following the summer break. Despite requests for a temporary halt on the FIR registration, the court refused, clarifying that the previous order did not specifically require a case against Nehru individually.
In a separate development, Rajya Sabha MP I.S. Inbadurai, who had lodged a contempt petition over alleged non-compliance with the court’s earlier ruling, informed that the contempt plea would not be pursued during the vacation period. The High Court had previously criticized delays in acting on the Enforcement Directorate’s findings, stressing the need for prompt action in serious allegation cases. The state government attributed the delay in filing the FIR to its review petition, which is currently pending.
