TN seeks arrest of journalist who accused CM

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu has sent six special police teams to Dehi to chase a top journalist who accused Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami of links to a robbery at late chief minister J. jay ala lit ha a’ s bungalow inkod an ad, Nilgiris.

The police teams seek to arrest Samuel Mathew, former managing editor of Tehelka, who released a video which he claims proves the complicity of the chief minister in the crime. Mathew would be interrogated and arrested if need be, state police sources said.

Mathew asserted on Sunday that the video was brought out after thorough investigation by his team. “I’m ready to face any case against me,” he said.

Palaniswami has rejected the charge, but leader of opposition MK Stalin said on Sunday the charges look credible.

The accused persons in the case have pointed ingers at Palaniswami, who has however responded by calling the charge politically motivated.

“Police case had been iled in the matter and that strong action would be taken against those who released the video,” he said.

But Stalin said Palaniswami hasn’t answered the points raised by Mathew.

“Yesterday, Edappadi (Palaniswami) met the reporters but couldn’t respond to any allegations raised by Mathew. He’s crouching, suggesting he was the one behind all these deaths. He did not refute any of the allegations put forth by Mathew. He just said that the case is in progress and that this was a political conspiracy,” Stalin said.

He said people have a right to know the status of Rs20 billion that was at the Kodanad estate.

In April 2017, the security guard of the Kodanad estate was found dead. It emerged during the probe that jay ala lit ha a’ s ex-driver Kanagaraj and one Sayan had allegedly plotted the murder and break-in.

Ten people were arrested in the case, and a charge-sheet was iled later.

Later, however, Kanagaraj and Sayan’s wife and daughter were killed in separate road accidents during the probe, even as another employee of the property was found dead, in a case of suspected suicide.

Mathew has recorded the accused. One of them says in the video that the crime was ordered by Palaniswami to retrieve important documents from the estate.

The ruling Anna DMK’S IT wing ofice-bearer Rajan Sathya had lodged a complaint against Samuel Mathew at the Chennai Central Crime Branch.

Cases were registed against Samuel and his subordinates. Police said summons would be issued to them.