ED raids 18 locations in Tamil Nadu TRB polytechnic lecturer scam probe
Synopsis
The ED has hit 18 locations across Tamil Nadu — Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, Coimbatore, and Madurai — in a money laundering probe tied to the TRB polytechnic lecturer scam, where candidates allegedly paid ₹25–30 lakh each to rig OMR sheets. With over 150 accused and 196 suspected beneficiaries, this is one of the state's largest education recruitment fraud cases.
Key Takeaways
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) searched 18 locations across Tamil Nadu on 23 June in the TRB Polytechnic Lecturer Examination scam .
Raids covered Chennai , Tiruchirappalli , Coimbatore , and Madurai .
The scam involves alleged irregularities in the recruitment of 1,058 lecturers for Government Polytechnic Colleges.
Candidates allegedly paid intermediaries between ₹25 lakh and ₹30 lakh each to secure appointments.
A New Delhi-based private agency allegedly tampered with OMR answer sheets ; over 150 individuals are named in the case.
The ED case is registered under PMLA , based on a Chennai CCB FIR from 2017 and a chargesheet filed in 2021 .
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday, 23 June launched simultaneous searches at 18 locations across Tamil Nadu in connection with the alleged Teachers Recruitment Board (TRB) Polytechnic Lecturer Examination scam, intensifying its money laundering investigation into one of the state's most contentious recruitment controversies.
Where the Raids Were Conducted
Search operations were carried out across Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, Coimbatore, and Madurai, with officials targeting financial records, electronic devices, and documents that could help establish the money trail. Searches were continuing at several locations as of Tuesday, with further action expected to depend on evidence recovered during the operations.
Background: The TRB Scam and Its Origins
The ED's case stems from a First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Chennai City Central Crime Branch (CCB) in 2017 and a chargesheet filed in 2021. The investigation centres on alleged irregularities in the recruitment of 1,058 lecturers for Government Polytechnic Colleges through examinations conducted by the Teachers Recruitment Board.
According to investigators, employees of a private agency based in New Delhi allegedly tampered with Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) answer sheets and manipulated examination data, enabling certain candidates to secure appointments through fraudulent means. More than 150 individuals were named in the case, while nearly 196 candidates were initially suspected of benefiting from the alleged manipulation.
Scale of the Alleged Fraud
Investigators allege that some candidates paid intermediaries between ₹25 lakh and ₹30 lakh each to secure selection as lecturers — pointing to a well-organised racket that reportedly spanned multiple districts. The CCB probe had earlier resulted in arrests and searches at multiple locations, and the evidence gathered during that investigation formed the basis for the ED's case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
ED's Broader Pattern of Action in Tamil Nadu
Tuesday's raids are part of a broader series of high-profile ED operations in Tamil Nadu. Over recent years, the agency has conducted searches in cases linked to recruitment scams, alleged cash-for-jobs rackets, illegal sand mining, TASMAC-related financial irregularities, and other corruption investigations involving public institutions. This is among the most significant such actions in the state's education sector.
What Investigators Are Looking For
Officials said the primary objective of the current searches is to identify beneficiaries of the alleged fraud and trace the proceeds of crime. The ED's mandate under PMLA requires it to establish a financial trail connecting the alleged bribery payments to identifiable assets — a process that typically follows the predicate offence established by the state police's chargesheet.
Point of View
Cross-state operation rather than a localised racket. The ₹25–30 lakh per-candidate bribe figure, if substantiated, implies proceeds running into tens of crores. Tamil Nadu has seen a pattern of ED intervention in state-level recruitment and resource-allocation cases, and each such operation raises a structural question: how did a board-administered examination become so vulnerable to systemic manipulation over multiple years without institutional checks catching it earlier?
NationPress
23 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the TRB Polytechnic Lecturer Examination scam?
The TRB Polytechnic Lecturer Examination scam refers to alleged irregularities in the recruitment of 1,058 lecturers for Government Polytechnic Colleges in Tamil Nadu through examinations conducted by the Teachers Recruitment Board. Investigators allege that OMR answer sheets were tampered with by employees of a private New Delhi-based agency, enabling certain candidates to secure appointments fraudulently.
Why is the ED investigating the TRB scam?
The ED is investigating the case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to trace the financial proceeds allegedly generated through the recruitment fraud. The agency's probe is based on a Chennai CCB FIR from 2017 and a chargesheet filed in 2021, which established the predicate offence.
How much money were candidates allegedly paying to secure lecturer posts?
According to investigators, some candidates allegedly paid intermediaries between ₹25 lakh and ₹30 lakh each to secure selection as government polytechnic lecturers through fraudulent means.
How many people are implicated in the TRB scam?
More than 150 individuals were named in the case, and nearly 196 candidates were initially suspected of benefiting from the alleged manipulation of examination data.
What were ED officials looking for during the 23 June raids?
Officials said the searches were aimed at gathering financial records, electronic devices, and documents to establish the money trail and identify beneficiaries of the alleged fraud under PMLA provisions.
