India, July 29 -- The Supreme Court on Tuesday pulled up the Tamil Nadu government for naming 2,500 accused in a cash-for-jobs case allegedly involving former state minister V Senthil Balaji. It said such "modus operandi" was a complete fraud on the system to ensure the trial does not conclude in Balaji's lifetime.

The observation came as the court heard a petition of a victim of the cash-for-jobs, who challenged a March 28 Madras high court order allowing clubbing of four charge sheets against Balaji.

The Supreme Court said there are 2,000 accused in one set of cases and 500 in another. These accused are the alleged bribe givers who complained they did not get jobs as promised despite paying bribes.

A bench of justices Surya Kant and ...