FPJ Exclusive: Tamil Nadu Ministers, Officials Allegedly Took Crores In Bribes To Okay Big Ticket Industrial Projects, ED Evidence Shows

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has uncovered evidence suggesting that top Tamil Nadu ministers and officials allegedly took substantial bribes amounting to crores of rupees in exchange for approving large-scale industrial projects, according to sources cited by FPJ. The documents reviewed by FPJ reveal multiple instances where bribes ranging from several crores to lower sums were paid to secure clearances for industrial parks and data centers by multinational firms during the 2021-26 DMK regime.

The bribes were reportedly facilitated through a middleman who dealt in hawala dealings and involved documents, WhatsApp conversations, and official statements. The bribes were paid at a flat rate of Rs 27 per square foot, with specific amounts paid for various approvals such as Government Orders, land ceiling act clearances, and environmental clearances.

Notable instances include a Rs 1.01 crore bribe paid to obtain Government Orders and clearances from the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, a Rs 5 crore bribe to the Revenue Minister for land ceiling act clearance, and a Rs 3.5 crore bribe for rerouting a canal on an industrial project site. The documents also detail a data centre project where a foreign firm allegedly paid Rs 1.89 crore as a bribe for approval, and another project where a DMK minister allegedly demanded an additional Rs 20 per square foot to halt the file movement until a bribe was paid.

The source attributes the bribery schemes to brokers who pocketed hefty commissions at every stage, with the bribes ultimately routed to ministers and officials through consultants who would later transfer the money to them in cash.