Chennai Police have arrested three people in connection with an alleged attempt to bribe Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) MLA Dr N. Ilayaraja to vote against a proposed no-confidence motion targeting the Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.
The case has also drawn political attention after investigators alleged links between the accused and associates of former DMK minister V. Senthil Balaji.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Thirunavukkarasu, Naresh, Thiyagarajan and Krishnan. They were taken into custody by the Triplicane Police as part of an investigation launched following a complaint filed by Dr Ilayaraja.
According to police, the case was registered as Crime No. 205/2026 based on the MLA's complaint, and the investigation is ongoing. Authorities are examining the sequence of events, the roles of the accused and the alleged political connections.
MLA alleges Rs 35 crore bribe offer
In his complaint to the Chennai Police Commissioner on June 29, Dr Ilayaraja alleged that he was contacted by a man identified as Thirunavukkarasu, who claimed to head an opinion polling organisation named Indian Political Democratic Strategies (IPDS).
The caller allegedly stated that he was acting on behalf of members of a major political party and informed the legislator that a resolution seeking a no-confidence motion against the Assembly Speaker would soon be introduced. Despite Dr Ilayaraja belonging to the ruling TVK, the caller allegedly urged him to vote in a particular manner.
According to the complaint, Thirunavukkarasu allegedly offered the MLA up to Rs 35 crore in exchange for his support.
Dr Ilayaraja stated that he rejected the proposal and instructed the caller not to contact him again. He further alleged that he was subsequently threatened, with the caller warning that he and his family would face consequences if details of the conversation were disclosed.
Investigation examines alleged political links
Police said that during the investigation, they found that V. Ashok Kumar, brother of former DMK minister and Coimbatore South MLA V. Senthil Balaji, had allegedly met one of the accused in Chennai.
Investigators further allege that Thirunavukkarasu contacted Dr Ilayaraja at the command of Senthil Balaji and Ashok Kumar. These allegations are currently under investigation by the police, and authorities have not announced any charges against Senthil Balaji or Ashok Kumar in connection with the case at this stage.
Political reactions
Reacting to the arrests, Tamil Nadu Minister P. Nirmal Kumar alleged that the DMK had been attempting to lure MLAs from the ruling TVK for several weeks.
He claimed that the party had repeatedly raised concerns over alleged attempts to poach legislators. He alleged that Dr Ilayaraja was offered Rs 35 crore to vote against the government if a no-confidence motion against the Speaker was brought before the Assembly. According to the minister, the MLA refused the offer and later approached the police with evidence, leading to the arrests.
The DMK has not officially responded to these allegations at the time of writing.
Investigation continues
Police are continuing to examine call records, financial links and other evidence to determine whether there was a larger conspiracy behind the alleged bribery attempt. Officials have not disclosed further details, stating that the investigation remains in progress.
The case comes just months after the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, in which Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) formed the government in its electoral debut, ending the long-standing dominance of the DMK and AIADMK-led alliances in the state.
With the investigation still underway and political allegations intensifying, will the probe uncover a wider conspiracy, or will the accused succeed in disproving the claims made against them?
