₹35-crore TVK MLA bribery case: Senthilbalaji’s brother Ashok Kumar moves Madras High Court for anticipatory bail
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Minister V. Senthilbalaji’s brother R.V. Ashok Kumar, 47, has approached the Madras High Court seeking anticipatory bail in a case registered
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Minister V. Senthilbalaji’s brother R.V. Ashok Kumar, 47, has approached the Madras High Court seeking anticipatory bail in a case registered against him for having allegedly offered a bribe of ₹35 crore to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) N. Elaiyaraja, representing the Uthangarai constituency. The advance bail plea has been listed for hearing before Justice C. Kumarappan on Friday (July 3, 2026). The Triplicane police in Chennai had registered the First Information Report (FIR) against him and three others on June 30, 2026, as the Uthangarai MLA, a dentist by profession, had lodged the complaint on June 29, 2026, mentioning his MLA hostel address in Chennai. What is the case about? The TVK MLA, in his complaint, stated he had received a phone call from a particular number on June 26, 2026. The caller identified himself as Thirunavukarasu, of a private entity named Indian Political Democratic Strategies (IPDS), involved in conducting political surveys, and insisted upon meeting the MLA in person to discuss an “irresistable offer from an important party.” However, the MLA reportedly told the caller it would not be possible to meet him in person and asked him to proceed with discussing the issue on the phone.
The caller continued to insist on meeting the MLA in person, forcing the latter to end the call. Thereafter, the MLA received several calls from the same number through WhatsApp but the legislator did not pick them up. Finally, when the MLA picked one of those calls, the caller reportedly told him “the TVK-led government would not last long.” The caller also said there was a plan to move a resolution against Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar and that the MLA would be given ₹35 crore if he agrees to vote against the TVK whip when the resolution gets moved in the House. The MLA was also told that three others – Naresh, Krishnan, and Ashok Kumar – would meet him if he agreed to the deal. The legislator claimed that when he refused to comply and said he was not inclined to agree to any such deal, the caller threatened him saying he and his family members would have to face the consequences if their conversation gets leaked.
After the threatening phone call, the MLA had lodged the police complaint along with screenshots of the WhatsApp call history on his mobile phone. The Greater Chennai Police undertook a preliminary inquiry on the basis of the complaint and then registered the FIR against all four named individuals under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as well as the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. Denying any role in the crime, Mr. Kumar, in his anticipatory bail petition, said, there was no allegation in the complaint of him having spoken to the MLA directly and yet, he too had been named in the FIR just because the caller had mentioned his name. In the absence of any specific overtact, the police could not be allowed to arrest the petitioner first and then search for incriminating materials, he said. He also accused the MLA of having lodged the complaint with a political motive and said, it was a part of a scheme to influence voters ahead of the by-election to the Karur Assembly constituency.
The BriefWire