The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached three properties worth ₹10.11 crore belonging to renowned Tamil film director S Shankar in connection with a money-laundering investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The case stems from allegations that Shankar plagiarized the story of his 2010 blockbuster Enthiran (Robot), starring Rajinikanth, from Jiguba, a short story written by Tamil author Aarur Tamilnadan.The investigation was launched based on a complaint filed by Tamilnadan in the 13th Metropolitan Magistrate Court, Egmore, Chennai, on May 19, 2011. He accused Shankar of violating the Copyright Act, 1957, and the Indian Penal Code
The Madras High Court has ruled that unauthorized constructions must be demolished and that no leniency should be shown to violators. A division bench comprising Justices S M Subramaniam and K Rajasekar upheld the directives issued by the Supreme Court, stating they have become the law of the land and must be strictly followed by government agencies, including the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) and the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC).The case involved Janpriya Builders, which constructed a commercial building in T Nagar, Chennai, violating its approved plan. Originally, the company received planning permission in 1990 for a basement, ground floor,
Cybercrime on the Rise in Tamil NaduCybercrime has surged in Tamil Nadu, with ‘digital arrest’ and ‘online trading app’ scams becoming widespread. Official data reveals a significant increase in cybercrime cases, rising from 2,082 in 2022 to 4,121 in 2023, and further jumping to 5,385 in 2024. Despite this rise, Tamil Nadu police stated that only 3% of complaints lead to an FIR, while 50% result in Community Service Registers (CSRs).Tamil Nadu ranks first in CSR filings and third in FIR registrations for cybercrime cases in India. However, the total number of complaints reported remains undisclosed. The low FIR rate
A Chennai court has remanded an additional commissioner of Chennai Customs, M Sathishkumar, until February 25 for his alleged role in a Rs 2 crore green peas import scam. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) arrested Sathishkumar, a 2010 batch IRS officer, on Wednesday evening, naming him as the main orchestrator of the fraudulent operation. Officials searched his residence in the TAISHA colony in Virugambakkam, where many government officers reside, on Sunday.Following his arrest, Sathishkumar was transferred out of the export commissionerate and is likely to be suspended. He is the fourth Customs officer taken into custody in connection with
For the first time in its history, Port Blair International Airport in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands has reported a case of exotic species smuggling. Customs and wildlife officials arrested two Singaporean citizens, MI Muhammed Abdullah and Mohammed Alavudeen, upon their arrival from Kuala Lumpur on Saturday. Acting on intelligence, authorities discovered eight baby monkeys, identified as pig-tailed macaques and gibbons, concealed in their bags. The duo, originally from Kanniyakumari, was en route to Bengaluru, where the animals were to be delivered.Wildlife officials from Andaman and Nicobar arrested the accused under the Wildlife Protection Act, sources from the Wildlife Crime
Thiagarajar College of Engineering (TCE), Madurai, is set to introduce a Technology-Based Entrepreneurship Development Programme (TEDP) from February 12 to March 25. The initiative, supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, aims to equip aspiring entrepreneurs with practical knowledge in instrumentation and IoT applications.The offline programme will offer hands-on training in designing instrumentation systems, integrating sensors and actuators, and establishing communication between devices using various protocols. Participants will also explore the application of IoT in key sectors such as healthcare, smart cities, smart agriculture, and pollution control, enhancing their understanding of real-world implementations.The six-week training
A former contract worker and his associates brutally attacked and murdered a private container yard manager at Velli Vayal Chavadi near Manali New Town in the early hours of Friday. All suspects are currently absconding. Police identified the victim as Sai Prashanth, 45, from Kudur, Andhra Pradesh, who worked as a manager overseeing daily loading and unloading operations at the yard.The issue arose on February 5 when Balaji, 25, a contract worker from Andhra Pradesh, left work before his scheduled time, causing delays in container loading. The next morning, when Prashanth confronted Balaji about his unauthorized absence, an argument ensued, leading
The Tamil Nadu government has trained 44 women from Self-Help Groups (SHGs) across 28 districts to operate drones for agricultural activities like fertilizer application. As part of the first phase of the initiative under the Tamil Nadu State Rural Livelihood Mission—funded by the Union and state governments in a 60:40 ratio—the women were provided unmanned aerial vehicles and professional training. The Tamil Nadu Women Development Corporation supported the implementation.Farmers needing drone services can now connect with these licensed women pilots through their SHGs. Their details have been integrated into the Uzhavar mobile app under the category “Agricultural Machinery for Rental.”
A section of Samsung workers at the company’s manufacturing unit in Sriperumbudur staged a sit-in strike on Wednesday against the suspension of three employees, who were allegedly removed without any valid reason. The suspended workers were office-bearers of the recently registered Samsung India Workers’ Union (SIWU), backed by CITU and recognized under the Trade Unions Act by Tamil Nadu’s Labour department.E Muthukumar, Kancheepuram CITU secretary and SIWU president, alleged that the suspensions were a move by Samsung to suppress the union. However, Samsung stated that the employees were suspended for disrupting operations at the plant.Muthukumar noted that workers had previously
