Annamalai, BJP leaders detained ahead of protest against TASMAC
Annamalai was detained while he was leaving his residence in Chennai’s Akkarai to proceed towards TASMAC’s headquarters in Egmore in the city
A clutch of BJP leaders including state president K Annamalai and former Telangana governor Tamilisai Soundararajan were detained hours before they were to protest against the findings of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) that there have been irregularities to the tune of 1000 crore after the raids in Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC). They were released later in the evening.
Annamalai was detained while he was leaving his residence in Chennai’s Akkarai to proceed towards TASMAC’s headquarters in Egmore in the city. Soundararajan was also detained from her home. Besides them, the party’s Mahila Morcha head and Coimbatore South MLA Vanathi Srinivasan, MLA C Saraswathi, senior leader H Raja, the party’s youth wing head in Tamil Nadu P Vinoj were also detained in various locations across the city.
Annamalai called the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), an autocratic government for using the state police department to prevent the BJP’s protest. “People of Tamil Nadu know that the accused number 1 in the TASMAC Liquor scam is TN CM Thiru (MK Stalin) @mkstalin,” he wrote in a post on X, adding, “We will continue to protest against this corrupt, tyrannical DMK govt. How long will you keep arresting us?”
Annamalai also said that though the ED has quantified the alleged irregularities in TASMAC at ₹1,000 crore, he estimates it to be ₹40,000 crore.
“This ₹1000 crore is the tip of the iceberg,” Annamalai told reporters. “This protest will not only shake up Tamil Nadu politics but will pave the way for ushering in good politics. My estimate is this scam will be worth ₹40,000 crore. But I am in a responsible position, so I am quoting the ₹1,000 crore mentioned by the ED.”
TASMAC has a monopoly over liquor sales in Tamil Nadu and is the cash cow for any party that forms the government. The Enforcement Directorate on March 13 said that incriminating data related to transfer postings, transport tender, bar licence tender, indent orders favouring few distillery companies, excess charge of ₹10-30 per bottle by TASMAC were recovered during raids conducted in Chennai on March 6. TASMAC comes under Senthil Balaji who is minister for excise besides electricity. Balaji is currently out on bail after being arrested by the ED in 2023 in another money laundering case involving jobs in the transport department.
DMK’s ally Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), a staunch critic of the BJP and who are for prohibition, extended their support to their rival party’s protest. “Maybe the police action was from the law and order point of view,” said VCK chief and Lok Sabha MP, Thol Thirumavalavan. “Our stand is that liquor shops in Tamil Nadu should be closed down and we will welcome anyone who supports that.”
