Chennai, Oct 26: The Madras High Court on Monday dismissed a review petition filed by former Tamil Nadu minister and senior DMK leader K.N. Nehru, who had sought reconsideration of the court's February 20, 2026 order directing the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to register a first information report (FIR) against him based on material shared by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The Division Bench of Chief Justice S.A. Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan dismissed the plea, LiveLaw reported; a detailed order is awaited.

Source: LiveLaw

The February order was passed on a petition by AIADMK Rajya Sabha MP I.S. Inbadurai, who alleged that the state police had failed to act on information forwarded by the ED concerning an alleged Rs 634 crore cash-for-jobs scam (yaani Rs 6.34 billion) involving recruitment to 2,538 posts in the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department, which Nehru headed as minister, Bar and Bench reported. These are allegations made in the petition; they have not been proved, and Monday's dismissal decides only that the February direction will not be recalled — it is not a ruling on the merits of the allegations, LawChakra noted.

Source: Bar and Bench

Nehru and his brothers had argued that the February direction was issued without hearing them and violated the principles of natural justice. Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing for Nehru, argued that he had a right to be heard before an FIR was ordered and that the alleged violation justified a review even in criminal proceedings. Senior advocate Siddhartha Dave, for the DVAC, countered that the law does not require a proposed accused to be heard before a court directs registration of an FIR, and the DVAC also relied on the bar on reviewing criminal orders, IANS reported.

Source: IANS (via hi INDiA)

The state government had also sought a review of the February order, but its position changed after the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections brought a new administration to power. Advocate General Vijay Narayan informed the court that the DVAC had registered an FIR against Nehru and that the state intended to withdraw its review petition. When the court asked how the FIR had been registered despite an earlier undertaking not to act, the Advocate General submitted that the former Advocate General's assurance, given on the previous government's instructions, did not bind the new administration; the court had then restrained the state from taking action against Nehru until the review was heard, LiveLaw reported.

Source: LiveLaw

Feb 20, 2026Madras High Court directs the DVAC to register an FIR based on ED-shared material
Rs 634 croreAlleged cash-for-jobs scam figure in the petition (yaani Rs 6.34 billion) — allegation, not proved
2,538 postsMunicipal Administration and Water Supply Department recruitments named in the petition
Oct 26, 2026Review petition dismissed by the Dharmadhikari–Arul Murugan bench; detailed order awaited

With the review dismissed, the February direction to the DVAC stands and the already-registered FIR remains in place. What the detailed order says about the interim restraint on action against Nehru, and how the investigation proceeds from here, will become clear once the full order is released. Nehru has not been convicted of any offence in this matter, and the allegations against him remain subject to investigation and, if a chargesheet is filed, to trial.

Source: LawChakra