New Delhi, February 26 ED Director Rahul Navin will visit Chennai this weekend to review the status of ongoing investigations being carried out by the federal investigating agency in Tamil Nadu, including some high-profile cases such as the one involving state minister K N Nehru and others, officials said on Thursday.
Navin is expected to arrive in Chennai tonight. He will meet all the officers of the southern zone on Friday and is scheduled to return to Delhi on Saturday.
Officials said the ED chief will review the ongoing money laundering and foreign exchange violation cases being investigated in Tamil Nadu, especially those cases where the courts have recently issued directions.
The Madras High Court last week ordered the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to file an FIR against minister K N Nehru to investigate alleged bribery in appointments to the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department, a portfolio he currently holds.
The ED had shared certain "evidence" and information with the Tamil Nadu government in this case, seeking registration of an FIR by the DVAC so that it can also initiate a money laundering investigation.
It had said that it had recovered "incriminating" evidence against Nehru and others while investigating a separate bank loan "fraud" case. Nehru, while speaking with reporters earlier, had denied wrongdoing.
The HC said in its February 20 order that while the ED's complaint was vague, it had submitted voluminous material indicating a prima facie case.
The court added that a preliminary inquiry could have been conducted by the state under Section 173 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita within 14 days, but the state had only delayed the investigation.
The issue involves the recruitment of around 2,538 candidates to the posts of assistant engineers. The selected candidates have already joined the offices and have been in service for more than six months.
The ED director, officials said, will also review other operational and administrative issues related to its two zonal offices located in Chennai and other sub-zonal units located in the state that is soon going to have assembly polls.