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DMK denies ‘vendetta’ as AIADMK stalwarts, former ministers face cases

🔴 Since the DMK government came to power six months ago, five former AIADMK ministers have faced action, on allegations of corruption, disproportionate assets and violations in allotting tenders worth crores.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin. (Photo: Twitter/@mkstalin)Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin. (Photo: Twitter/@mkstalin)

A Tamil Nadu Police team searching for former AIADMK minister Rajenthra Bhalaji shifted its operations from Bengaluru to Coorg on Tuesday. Meanwhile, another team, of the state vigilance and anti-corruption wing, raided at least 14 premises linked to ex-AIADMK minister P Thangamani, after 69 similar locations were searched last week.

Since the DMK government came to power six months ago, five former AIADMK ministers have faced action, on allegations of corruption, disproportionate assets and violations in allotting tenders worth crores.

The first to see action was former transport minister M R Vijayabhaskar, who was booked along with his wife Vijayalakshmi and brother Sekar, by the vigilance and anti-corruption wing in July for allegedly amassing wealth disproportionate to his known income. Incidentally, Vijayabhaskar is the AIADMK district secretary of Karur, an area that used to be an AIADMK stronghold till senior leader Senthil Balaji left the party. In an acknowledgement of his efforts towards establishing the DMK in Karur, Balaji has been rewarded with a position in M K Stalin’s Cabinet.

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DVAC raid at former transport minister M R Vijayabhaskar’s properties.

In September, a vigilance case was registered against K C Veeramani, on charges of acquiring assets worth Rs 28.78 crore, an alleged 654% rise from 2016. Veeramani first became a minister in the AIADMK government in 2013, and held several portfolios, including Commercial Taxes and Registration.

In October, former health minister Dr C Vijaya Baskar saw searches on 43 places linked to him in six districts, including Chennai, Coimbatore, Trichy and his native Pudukkottai. The FIR against him says he could not explain assets worth at least Rs 27 crore.

Festive offer

The two most prominent AIADMK leaders in the crosshairs of authorities are former municipal administration minister S P Velumani and R Elangovan, the current chairman of Tamil Nadu State Apex Co-operative Bank.

Considered the most powerful minister in the previous AIADMK government, Velumani is considered close to former CM Edappadi K Palaniswami, who belongs to the western Tamil Nadu region of fellow Kongu Nadu, and was often referred to as ‘Coimbatore CM’ during Palaniswami’s time. In August, there were raids on 51 premises allegedly linked to Velumani, amidst allegations regarding his ties to a Coimbatore-based godman and to companies which were awarded Rs 811 crore worth of tenders when Velumani was the Municipal Administration Minister. His brother P Anbarasan was also booked in cases.

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In raids on the premises of Elangovan in Salem, vigilance sleuths claimed to have seized about 21 kg of gold, 280 kg of silver articles, 10 luxury cars and documents showing properties worth several crores.

The AIADMK has accused the DMK of vendetta politics. After Velumani faced action, an AIADMK delegation met the Governor to complain about the “false cases”. In a joint statement, Pananiswami and former deputy CM O Panneerselvam said: “These are actions to divert the attention of people from poor governance.”

Similar action against Opposition leaders by ruling parties in the state is not new. The DMK government had put Jayalalithaa under arrest after she was voted out following her first term in 1991-96 period. When she came back as CM, Jayalalithaa put DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi under arrest in June 2001, along with then Union ministers of the party Murasoli Maran and T R Baalu.

A senior Home Ministry official said the cases by the DMK government couldn’t be called politically motivated. “Not only ministers, we are taking acting action against officials too. We have arrested 30 senior officers since this government came to power. It is part of a larger crackdown against corruption.” The official listed seizures from a senior PWD engineer in Vellore, the case against former member secretary of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, as well as action against police and municipal officials.

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Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments P K Sekar Babu said the crackdown was part of the poll promise made by CM Stalin. “There is a clear direction to take action against anyone who commits mistakes. Naturally when there are complaints against former ministers, they will face action. The AIADMK leadership was corrupt and they facilitated corruption,” Babu said.

First uploaded on: 22-12-2021 at 21:16 IST
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