Chennai: The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has escalated its attack on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay, urging the Director General of Police (DGP) to immediately register a First Information Report (FIR) and launch a criminal investigation into two individuals allegedly present in Cabinet meetings and other confidential government deliberations chaired by the Chief Minister.
DMK’s Complaint to the DGP
In a formal complaint submitted on Tuesday, June 30, DMK organising secretary RS Bharathi named John Arockiasamy and Vishnu Reddy — described as “two private individuals” and close associates of Chief Minister Joseph Vijay — alleging they had regularly attended Cabinet meetings, official review meetings, and other high-level government consultations without any apparent legal authority to do so.
Both men are stated to be residents of Andhra Pradesh. According to the complaint, they have also been allotted office chambers adjoining the Chief Minister’s own office at the Secretariat.
Official Secrets Act Invoked
The DMK complaint cites the Official Secrets Act, 1923, India’s primary anti-espionage legislation, along with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. Bharathi argued that Chief Minister Joseph Vijay, as holder of the state’s highest executive office, is constitutionally bound by the Oath of Secrecy — and that unauthorised individuals attending confidential Cabinet-level discussions could amount to a serious breach.
The DMK has specifically asked police to investigate whether Arockiasamy and Reddy:
- Are government servants, or hold any office recognised under law
- Have authorisation under any executive order or the Tamil Nadu Government Business Rules to participate in confidential proceedings
- Had access to classified Cabinet papers, official files, or sensitive policy records
Bharathi further called for a detailed probe into Secretariat visitor logs, CCTV footage, office allocation records, digital communications, and file movement registers to establish the full extent of their access.
Complaint Received by Additional DGP
The complaint was received by Additional DGP Praveen Kumar, as DGP Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal was attending an IAS-IPS conference at the time.
Background: Advisors Appointed in May
Notably, CM Joseph Vijay had officially appointed Vishnu Reddy and John Arockiasamy as government advisors on May 22, 2026, shortly after being sworn in as Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister in May following the TVK’s landmark victory in the 2026 Assembly election. The DMK’s complaint appears to question the scope and legality of that advisory role in relation to Cabinet-level and classified deliberations.
The controversy adds to a string of criticisms levelled by the DMK against the Vijay administration in recent weeks, including objections to the appointment of another close associate as the state’s special representative in New Delhi.
