Where on the one hand the opposition meeting is going on in Bengaluru. On the other hand, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday raided the premises of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader and Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister K Ponmudi and his son and MP Gautam Sigamani in a money laundering case related to alleged illegal mining. Raid. According to the latest information, ED officials Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudi was taken to Chennai for questioning.
According to the news coming quoting the sources, ED has recovered about 70 lakh rupees and some pounds from the minister’s premises. The news of recording the statements of father and son during the search came this morning. Let us tell you that after Tamil Nadu Transport Minister Senthil Balaji, Ponmudi (72) is the second minister in Chief Minister Blitz Stalin’s cabinet, who has come under the purview of the probe agency. Earlier in June, Balaji was arrested by the ED in a money laundering case related to alleged cash-for-job exchange.
ED involved in ‘election campaign’
Sources said searches have been carried out at premises in Villupuram, the stronghold of Ponmudi, besides capital Chennai. At the same time, the ruling DMK has described the raid as ‘political vendetta’. The ED took action in the presence of armed Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel and also seized some documents. It is noteworthy that Higher Education Minister Ponmudi is the MLA from Tirukkoyilur assembly seat in Villupuram district, while his son Sigamani is representing Kallakurichi seat in the Lok Sabha. DMK President Stalin reacted to the raid. He said that the ED has joined the ‘election campaign’.
#WATCH Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudi was taken to Chennai for questioning.Earlier today, ED officials took Minister K.K. The residence in Villupuram was raided. pic.twitter.com/RQ1OdMmuMC
— ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) July 17, 2023
What did Stalin say on the raid
Stalin spoke to the media before leaving for Bengaluru for the opposition meeting called by the Congress. He said this “false case” was registered against Ponmudi 13 years ago during the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government headed by the late J Jayalalithaa. As far as Tamil Nadu is concerned, Governor RN Ravi has already started campaigning. Now the investigation agency ED (election scenario) has also joined it. I think that in such a situation the election work will be easy for us.
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Reacting to the raid on the ED raid, DMK President Stalin said that the DMK is not worried at all. This is a ‘drama’ created to divert attention.
what is the matter
It is being told that this case of money laundering is related to the alleged irregularities committed between 2007 and 2011, when Ponmudi was holding the post of Tamil Nadu’s Mines Minister. He was accused of violating the mining license conditions and it was claimed to have caused a loss of about Rs 28 crore to the exchequer. The state police had filed a complaint against the minister and those associated with him to investigate these allegations of alleged corruption. Sigamani then filed a petition in the Madras High Court for relief, but in June the court refused to stay the hearing.
Mining/quarry license issue
The minister is accused of obtaining mining/quarry licenses for his son and other family members and for excavating sand in excess of the limit set by the licensees. Reacting to the matter, DMK spokesperson A Saravanan said that it is an act of political vendetta and the aim is to try and break the resolve of the DMK. He alleged that no action has been taken by the central authorities against the leaders of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) in corruption cases like the Gutkha scam.
action has already been taken
If you remember, a few days ago, the investigating agency ED had taken similar action against Senthil Balaji, another minister in Chief Minister Blitz Stalin’s cabinet. Earlier, Transport Minister Senthil Balaji was arrested in a case related to alleged cash in lieu of job. Stalin and the DMK had termed the ED’s action on Balaji some time ago as the ‘politics of intimidation’ by the Centre.
