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Disproportionate assets case: Vigilance crackdown on AIADMK leader
Elangovan is said to be an aide of former chief minister Edappadi Palaniswami as they both hail from Tamil Nadu’s Salem district
Chennai: Officials of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on Friday conducted searches at 36 locations linked to R Elangovan, the chairman of the Tamil Nadu State Apex Cooperative Bank, and his son.
Elangovan is said to be an aide of former chief minister Edappadi Palaniswami as they both hail from Tamil Nadu’s Salem district.
They were booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and Indian Penal Code. Following search operations, officials seized cash of ₹29.77 lakh, 10 luxury cars including a Cooper and an Audi, two Volvo buses, 21 kgs of gold jewellery and other incriminating documents, said an official.
The FIR says that Elangovan acquired assets worth ₹3.78 crore, which is 131% in excess of his known sources of income, by allegedly using his political connections.
Simultaneously, the second round of raids against former health minister C Vijayabhaskar was also going on in four places.
“A search warrant was obtained from (the) Special Judge, Pudukottai and searches are being conducted in three places in Chennai and one place in Salem,” said a senior DVAC official not wishing to be quoted. On Monday, officials had raided 43 locations linked to Vijayabaskar on charges of disproportionate assets he allegedly amassed during his tenure as minister. The FIR filed against Vijayabhaskar stated that he had created a trust, named ‘Mother Terasa Educational and Charitable Trust’, in his native place Pudukottai and alleged black money channelled through this trust was being probed.
Previously, three other powerful former AIADMK ministers -- S P Velumani, M R Vijayabhakasr and K C Veeramani -- were searched on charges of corruption. All of them are known to be close to Palaniswami.
The DMK which came to power in May had promised in its election manifesto that they will establish a special court to try AIADMK ministers on charges of graft.
The DVAC registered a disproportionate assets case against Elangovan, 57, and his son E Praveen Kumar, 27. The check period for the searches is from April 1, 2014 till March 31, 2020. The FIR stated that the likely savings of Elangovan and his family should have not exceeded ₹1,52,65,540 during the period. However, the family had acquired assets worth ₹3,78,31,755, which is 131% of their total income. Furthermore, the officials suspect that the accused father-son duo have assets in the names of benamis even outside Tamil Nadu.
The DVAC began searches in as many as 26 locations including 17 in Salem and in other districts of Namakkal, Karur, Trichy and Chennai. Elangovan was elected as the chairman of the Tamil Nadu State Apex Cooperative Bank and president of Salem District Central Cooperative Bank twice in 2013 and in 2018. Praveen is a vice-chairman of Swamy Ayyappan Educational Trust in Salem district. “During the check period (April 2014 to March 2020) by virtue of his official position and his close association with top politicians, Elangovan enriched himself illicitly and was in a possession of pecuniary resources and assets disproportionate to the known sources of income,” the FIR stated. His Twitter bio says that he is AIADMK’s Salem rural district Amma wing secretary.
