Is Vijayabaskar facing legal heat for supporting Vijay?

Former Tamil Nadu health minister and four-time All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) MLA C Vijayabaskar’s decision to quit the party and join the ruling Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) earlier in July has triggered a surge in legal scrutiny by central authorities over long-pending cases against him.

What was once a routine political defection has now become a flashpoint, raising questions about timing, political vendetta, and the use of enforcement agencies in coalition management.

Also read: By welcoming tainted Vijaybaskars, is Vijay soiling his claim of clean politics?

Vijayabaskar, a doctor-politician, won the Viralimalai Assembly constituency in Pudukkottai district for the fourth consecutive time in the 2026 elections. The leader, who served as the health minister between 2013 and 2021 under various AIADMK chief ministers, including the late J Jayalalithaa, extended support to the TVK-led government after this year's polls, leading to his removal from party posts.

He resigned as the MLA and formally joined the TVK after an unsuccessful attempt to regain the Pudukkottai district secretary's position.

Since the BJP lacks strong grassroots influence in Tamil Nadu, it is using cases and the governor’s office to play its political cards.

In his affidavit for the April state elections, Vijayabaskar officially disclosed 12 FIRs registered against him, including two cases by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), two vigilance cases and one by the Central Bureau of Investigation. Five cases are currently at the trial stage in various courts.

Some of the highly discussed cases against the TVK leader are:

Disproportionate assets case

The Pudukkottai District Vigilance and Anti-Corruption wing booked Vijayabaskar and his wife for allegedly accumulating assets worth Rs 35.79 crore disproportionate to their known sources of income during their ministerial tenure. The Madras High Court has ordered a further investigation based on his plea. The ED is also probing the case.

Gutka bribe and scam

During an income-tax raid on his residence during Vijayabaskar's stint as the health minister, a diary allegedly revealed details of a massive bribe. The CBI registered a case accusing him and others of receiving Rs 39.91 crore as bribes from a company to allow the sale of banned gutka and tobacco products in Tamil Nadu.

Former state minister B V Ramana and senior police officers are also named. The CBI has filed a charge sheet. The Madras High Court has directed the special court for MPs/MLAs to complete the trial within 12 weeks. Vijayabaskar has stated in affidavits that he has not been convicted in any case and that all matters are pending.

Also read: AIADMK ship continues to sink as former TN minister MR Vijayabhaskar quits party

The ED has also been investigating a massive illegal gutka trade allegedly worth Rs 639 crore between 2013 and 2016. The probe also covers alleged illegal money transactions linked to the banned product. While Vijayabaskar has not faced significant pressure in this case so far, sources indicate that the ED is likely to file an additional charge sheet soon, raising the possibility that his name could be included as an accused. That, if a reality, would intensify the legal heat on the leader following his recent party switch.

Election petition

Sellappandian, who contested against Vijayabaskar on the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's ticket in Viralimalai in the 2026 elections, has filed an election petition in the Madras High Court alleging that the latter distributed cash and coupons worth Rs 10,000 and Rs 2,000 to voters in the constituency during the 2026 campaign. The court has ordered notices to Vijayabaskar, and the Election Commission and the hearing was adjourned for three weeks.

Medical college bribery case

The vigilance department and ED booked cases alleging that Vijayabaskar received bribes to grant a key document to an educationist in Thiruvallur. The matter is pending before the Madras High Court.

A backlash over TN's political developments?

Political observers see a clear political hand behind the renewed vigour in these cases. Speaking to The Federal, political analyst Dhayalan Shanmugam said, “The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may be unhappy with Vijayabaskar’s move. This is not just an AIADMK issue. The central government may be angry that the TVK is breaking the National Democratic Alliance. After his recent meeting with Amit Shah, the governor has stepped up pressure on the state government. The postponement of by-elections and the inclusion of the Congress in the TVK cabinet are also seen as triggers. Since the BJP lacks strong grassroots influence in Tamil Nadu, it is using cases and the governor’s office to play its political cards.”

Also read: CM Vijay's Karur speech earns DMK, AIADMK backlash: 'Who ran away?'

He further observed that the current strategy appears to be one of indirect pressure rather than direct confrontation with the TVK.

“Instead of taking open action against the TVK party itself, the powers that be are targeting individuals like Vijayabaskar who have joined the party, creating legal and political discomfort for new entrants. This indirect approach of squeezing defectors has become a refined tactic in today’s Tamil Nadu politics,” he noted.

'TVK won't interfere'

Meanwhile, Law Minister Nirmal Kumar told The Federal, “He (Vijayabaskar) is not even an MLA now. Thousands join our party every day. We will not interfere in any case against our members. Legal action will continue. We do not support corrupt people. Many district secretaries have joined us; we were not aware of all the case details. There will be no let-up in lawful proceedings.”

The episode, nevertheless, highlights a recurring pattern in Tamil Nadu politics where switches in allegiance are often accompanied by activation of dormant legal cases. Vijayabaskar’s shift has not only weakened the AIADMK but also put Chief Minister Joseph Vijay's months-old TVK-led government under immediate scrutiny. Critics argue that central agencies appear selectively active when political realignments threaten national alliances.