TN police not investigating job fraud complaint against AIADMK ex-min Rajenthra Bhalaji, alleges plea

CHENNAI: Accusing the Tamil Nadu police of failing to promptly and expeditiously investigate the job racket complaint against former minister KT Rajenthra Bhalaji of the AIADMK, the complainant moved the Madras High Court, seeking a direction to further investigate his complaint.

Justice P Velmurugan of the Madras High Court issued a notice to the AIADMK leader, asking him to respond in four weeks.

The petitioner, K Nallathambi from Virudhunagar, sought a direction to the Inspector General (South Zone) to initiate further investigation regarding his complaint against Bhalaji and file a final charge sheet. Appearing for him, senior counsel R Sankarasubbu submitted that his client had impleaded the former minister in the present case as ordered by the court.

He contended that Bhalaji flouted the order of the Supreme Court granting interim bail to him. Pointing out that the court had on January 6 transferred the investigation into another job fraud complaint lodged by S Ravendran against Bhalaji to CBI, the counsel sought to tag this petition along with that case.

However, the judge refused to post Nallathambi’s petition along with the case and transfer to CBI, and directed Bhalaji to respond within four weeks.

In 2021, Nallathambi lodged a complaint with the Virudhunagar district crime branch police against Rajenthra Bhalaji, alleging that he collected bribes to the tune of Rs 3 crore from several individuals promising government jobs. However, he failed to secure jobs as promised.

Based on the complaint, the crime branch lodged a case against and arrested him. Rajenthra Bhalaji got interim bail from the Supreme Court on November 25, 2022, on the condition that he would surrender his passport and cooperate with the investigation.