Following the Madras High Court transferring the case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered an FIR regarding an alleged Rs 397 crore corruption and cartelisation scam involving TANGEDCO’s transformer tenders between 2021 and 2023.
Breaking: CBI registers case in TANGEDCO's procurement of power distribution transformers during the DMK regime from 2021-2023.@Arappor's @JayaramArappor and E Saravanan AIADMK functionary named as informants
Accused: officials of tender inviting and scrutiny committee of… pic.twitter.com/31mURR2ilC— Siddharth Prabhakar (@Sidprabhakar7) June 8, 2026
While disposing of petitions filed by a non-governmental organisation crusading against corruption in the public sphere, Arappor Iyakkam, and E. Saravanan, an advocate belonging to the AIADMK, on April 29, the First Bench comprising Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe.
The probe concerns alleged Rs 397 crore tender irregularities in the procurement of transformers for the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO), now the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation (TNPDCL), during 2021–23. The alleged irregularities occurred when V. Senthil Balaji was the Electricity Minister.
🚨 TANGEDCO Transformer Tender Scam – CBI FIR 🚨
👉🏻 Corruption in transformer tenders (2021–23)
👉🏻 Tenders ( 25 KVA up to 500 KVA ) allegedly manipulated → 397 Cr loss
👉🏻 Tender Inviting & Scrutiny commitee , other Public Servants and Private Persons/Contractors are added pic.twitter.com/Mxn1gDuha5
— Hari (@hari_noty) June 8, 2026
Arappor Iyakkam alleged that the tender irregularities in the purchase of 45,800 transformers for TANGEDCO, currently TNPDCL, caused a loss of Rs 397 crore to the Exchequer and sought the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter.
Instead of a SIT, the High Court said: “Investigation into the complaints of the petitioner is hereby transferred to the CBI. The investigating agency, appointed within two weeks from the order, shall conduct a de novo investigation as it deems fit and proceed in accordance with the law,” the Bench said in its judgment.
The Bench ordered the Tamil Nadu government, TNPDCL and the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to extend full cooperation to the CBI in the probe. The DVAC has also been directed to hand over all documents to the central agency within two weeks.
Against this backdrop, the CBI has registered a case in the alleged Rs 397 crore transformer procurement scam. It will begin the investigation afresh as directed by the High Court. With the change of guard at the Secretariat, the probe is expected to proceed in accordance with the law.
It is another setback for former DMK minister V. Senthil Balaji. A couple of days ago, the TVK government wrote to Governor Rajendra V. Arlekar seeking permission to initiate the next phase of legal proceedings in the case registered against the former DMK minister.
BREAKING
Governor has granted permission to investigate allegations against Senthil Balaji for allegedly accepting money for appointments during his tenure as Transport Minister between 2011 and 2016.
— Varsha (@VarshaDRaman) June 7, 2026
Unconfirmed reports suggest that the Governor has granted approval to prosecute former DMK minister Senthil Balaji after consulting legal experts.
Besides Senthil Balaji, other DMK leaders, including KN Nehru, Anitha R. Radhakrishnan, K. Ponmudi, Durai Murugan and Lok Sabha MP Jagathratchakan, are also being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and other investigative agencies.
