Chennai, June 23 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday launched searches at 18 locations across Tamil Nadu in connection with the alleged Teachers Recruitment Board (TRB) Polytechnic Lecturer Examination scam, intensifying its investigation into suspected money laundering linked to one of the State’s major recruitment controversies.

The searches were carried out in Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, Coimbatore and Madurai following allegations that large sums of money had changed hands to secure appointments in the recruitment process for Government Polytechnic College lecturers.

The ED case stems from a First Information Report registered by the Chennai City Central Crime Branch (CCB) in 2017 and a chargesheet filed in 2021.

The investigation relates to alleged irregularities in the recruitment of 1,058 lecturers through examinations conducted by the Teachers Recruitment Board.

According to investigators, employees of a private agency based in New Delhi allegedly tampered with Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) answer sheets and manipulated examination data, enabling certain candidates to secure appointments through fraudulent means.

The CCB probe had uncovered widespread irregularities in the selection process. More than 150 individuals were named in the case, while nearly 196 candidates were initially suspected of benefiting from the alleged manipulation.

Investigators alleged that some candidates had paid intermediaries between ₹25 lakh and ₹30 lakh to secure selection as lecturers.

The crime branch investigation had earlier resulted in arrests and searches at multiple locations. Based on evidence gathered during that probe, the ED registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to trace the proceeds allegedly generated through the recruitment scam.

Officials said the searches were aimed at gathering financial records, electronic devices and documents that could help establish the money trail and identify beneficiaries of the alleged fraud.

The latest action is part of a series of high-profile ED operations in Tamil Nadu.

Over the past few years, the agency has conducted searches in cases linked to recruitment scams, alleged cash-for-jobs rackets, illegal sand mining, TASMAC-related financial irregularities and other corruption investigations involving public institutions.

Search operations were continuing at several locations on Tuesday, with officials indicating that further action would depend on the evidence recovered during the raids.

—IANS

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