DVAC is searching places associated with former DMK MLA industrialist Sekar Reddy in Vellore

On the orders of the Superintendent of Police, NU Sivaraman, police personnel were deployed outside the former MLA’s house to avoid any untoward incident. | Photo credit: C. Venkatachalapathy

Detectives from the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) conducted searches at places including houses associated with former DMK MLA from Anaicut Assembly constituency in Vellore AP Nandakumar and industrialist and former Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) member J. Sekar Reddy at Katpadi in Vellore on Thursday.

DVAC sources said the search began around 8 am at their house in the village, with teams from Vellore and Ranipet led by Deputy SP (DVAC) S. Ganesan (Ranipet) and Raju (Vellore) joining. Mr. Nandakumar, a two-time former MLA from the constituency, was present for house searches. However, Mr. Sekar Reddy was not present at the time of inspections.

It is understood that the search is part of an ongoing investigation at 25 locations across Tamil Nadu linked to former minister and DMK leader KN Nehru in connection with an alleged ₹634 crore labor money scam in the Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) department.

DVAC sources said two separate teams with at least six officials were involved in the search. The searches at Mr. Sekar Reddy’s house ended at 10:45 a.m., while the searches at Mr. Nandakumar’s house ended after more than 11 hours.

A large number of DMK supporters and local functionaries were present outside Mr. Nandakumar’s house in Katpadi. On the orders of the Superintendent of Police, NU Sivaraman, police personnel were deployed outside the former MLA’s house to avoid any untoward incident.

After the searches, Mr. Nandakumar said, “We (DMK) are not afraid of the DVAC searches being conducted in view of the expected polls in the Assembly constituencies imposed on the people by the TVK government. DMK will emerge victorious from the polls. We have not done anything wrong. DVAC has not confiscated anything from my house.”

Published – 29 Oct 2026 20:05 IST