Man accuses TVK MLA Saravanan of taking Rs 60,000 for a Dravidar Welfare Board post

A man from Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi has accused Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) MLA Ku Saravanan of allegedly taking Rs 60,000 as a bribe by promising him a position on the Adi Dravidar Welfare Board.The allegation has triggered a political controversy, with DMK MP Kanimozhi demanding an appropriate investigation into the matter and questioning the MLA’s suitability to continue as a public representative.The controversy erupted after a video featuring Vainavapperumal, a private company employee from Pudumanai Ammal Thoppu near Airal, went viral on social media.In the video, he alleged that the MLA had sought an advance payment of Rs 60,000 to help him secure a membership position on the Thoothukudi District Adi Dravidar Welfare Board. According to Vainavapperumal, he was closely associated with Saravanan and had actively campaigned for his victory in the recent Assembly elections.He claimed that when he applied for the welfare board position, the MLA allegedly assured him that the appointment could be secured in exchange for the payment. Trusting the assurance, Vainavapperumal said he borrowed money at a high rate of interest to arrange the amount. However, after waiting for more than a month without receiving an appointment, he allegedly failed to obtain a satisfactory response regarding the status of his application.The complainant said he subsequently learnt through a local newspaper that the position had been awarded to another individual from Korampallam. When he approached the MLA and sought a refund, Saravanan allegedly threatened him instead of returning the money, according to his account.Claiming that the debt has caused severe financial hardship and affected his ability to support his family, Vainavapperumal has appealed to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay to intervene.He has sought an impartial investigation, recovery of the Rs 60,000 and appropriate legal action if the allegations are established.KANIMOZHI ATTACKS SARVANANReacting to the controversy, DMK MP Kanimozhi criticised the MLA in a post on X, describing the allegations as evidence of the alleged gap between claims of corruption-free governance and the conduct of elected representatives.She also referred to previous controversies involving Saravanan, including allegations by a woman who claimed she was deceived with promises of a government job and subjected to sexual assault, as well as an incident in which the MLA allegedly insulted a doctor during a midnight inspection at a government hospital.Kanimozhi said the allegations were particularly concerning given the MLA’s position in the Thoothukudi region and called for an appropriate investigation, stating that Saravanan was unfit to continue as a people’s representative.“It is all the more worrying that this individual poses a threat to the welfare of the people in my Thoothukudi constituency. Appropriate investigations must be conducted into the allegations against Saravanan, who is unfit to continue as a people's representative,” she wrote on X in Tamil.The allegations have yet to be independently established. A formal investigation and the responses of the accused MLA and the authorities will be crucial in determining the facts and whether further legal action is warranted.- Ends