ED receives copies of documents in alleged ‘horse-trading’ case

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has taken a copy of documents relating to the alleged ₹35-crore MLA “horse-trading” case from the Greater Chennai Police (GCP), official sources said on Monday.

The case pertains to the complaint lodged by Uthangarai MLA N. Elaiyaraja of the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) claiming that one Thirunavukkarasu, identifying himself as the owner of Indian Political Democratic Strategies (IDPS), a firm involved in conducting surveys, contacted him to support a proposed no-confidence motion against the Speaker and also offered a bribe of ₹35 crore.

The MLA lodged a complaint with the city police against Thirunavukkarasu for attempting to bribe and threaten him. A special team of the Triplicane police arrested Thirunavukkarasu and his associates — Naresh of Tiruchi and Thiagarajan of Medavakkam in Chennai.

Investigators seized about ₹60 lakh of unaccounted cash from the premises of one of the suspects in the case. There was evidence for suspecting a hawala transaction, the sources said.

According to the police, during the course of investigation it came to light that one of the suspects, Naresh, had met V. Ashok Kumar, brother of former Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Minister and Coimbatore (South) MLA V. Senthilbalaji in Chennai.

Sources added that further inquires revealed Thiruvanukkarasu had tried to bribe the MLA at the behest of Mr. Senthilbalaji and his brother.

The case was construed to be an attempt to destabilise the ruling party in the State, even as both the TVK and the DMK levelled horse-trading allegations against each other.

ED officials wrote to Greater Chennai Police Commissioner A. Amalraj, requesting a copy of the documents relating to the case. “We have given a set of case documents to the ED on their request,” a senior police officer told The Hindu.

The Madras High Court on July 8, 2026, granted conditional anticipatory bail to Mr. Senthilbalaji and Mr. Ashok Kumar in the case.