Raids net cash, documents from ADMK ex-minister

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-corruption (DVAC) has seized Rs2.55 million in unaccounted cash, and important documents related to property, investments made in insurance companies and documents related to transactions made in several firms from the properties of opposition Anna DMK leader and former minister MR Vijayabaskar, officials said on Friday.

DAVC officials also said their teams will search the bank lockers of Vijayabaskar and his wife Vijayalakshmi.

DAVC teams had raided 23 locations linked to the ex-minister in Chennai and his base, Karur.

In Chennai, the DAVC on Thursday raided his house and the house f his parents as well as brother at Andankoil and his dyeing unit in Karur.

Vijayabaskar, Vijayalakshmi and his brother Sehgar had been under DVAC scanner ever since allegations came up against him during his tenure as transport minister in the previous government run by the ADMK, the officials said.

The DMK, current ruling party, had alleged that the agency had ignored their complaints against him.

The DMK had alleged that the three amassed assets worth million of rupees in their name.

Ater the raids on Thursday, the ADMK issued a call for protests across the state on July 28 (Wednesday). Former chief minister Edappadi Palaniswamy and his ex-deputy O. Panneerselvam also said in a joint statement that the ADMK will pursue legal remedies.

Next week’s protests will be the first ater the ADMK was routed in the April 6 state assembly election.

With Chief Minister M K Stalin riding a high wave of popularity, the protests will be a test for the ADMK’S current hold over its rank and file.

Panneerselvam alleged that the raids were conducted due to political vendeta. Ater a meeting with ADMK leaders, he alleged that the raids were aimed at creating fear among the political leadership of the opposition.

“The ADMK is a political party that cannot be cowed down by such threats using police and other agencies,” he said.

The leadership has also told its district secretaries to conduct a campaign at the grassroot levels, against the “vendetta politics” being carried out by the DMK leadership and especially M K Stalin, a party statement said.

Panneerselvam alleged that the DMK and Stalin resorted to tactics of intimidation as they were not able to counter ADMK politically.

He said, “The DMK government should stop such acts of political vendeta.