E-Paper
Vigilance teams raid 49 premises linked to former AIADMK minister R Kamaraj
Besides six places in Chennai, vigilance officials are conducting searches at Kamaraj’s residence in Thiruvarur district where AIADMK workers have gathered and are raising slogans against the DVAC officials and the ruling DMK government
Teams from the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) are carrying out raids across 49 locations linked to All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s (AIADMK) former food minister R Kamaraj and his associates since Friday morning.
The agency has accused them of amassing ₹58.44 crore in assets disproportionate to known sources of income between 2015 and 2021 when the party was in power. The six accused in the case also include 62-year-old Kamaraj’s sons who are doctors -- Dr M K Eniyan (32) and Dr K Inban (30).
Besides six places in Chennai, vigilance officials are conducting searches at Kamaraj’s residence in Thiruvarur district where AIADMK workers have gathered and are raising slogans against the DVAC officials and the ruling DMK government. Kamaraj, now a sitting MLA from the Nannilam assembly constituency, is the sixth former minister from the AIADMK to be raided.
Leader of Opposition Edappadi Palaniswami took to Twitter to condemn the raids and said the DMK was indulging in vendetta politics. “The DMK cannot take the AIADMK head on politically, so they are resorting to such tactics,” Palaniswami said.
After the DMK came to power, the DVAC filed cases of disproportionate assets against five other former AIADMK ministers – S P Velumani (two cases against the former municipal administration minister), K P Anbazhagan (education), C Vijayabhaskar (health), M R Vijayabhaskar (transport) and P Thangamani (electricity).
The DVAC has also filed an FIR against Kamaraj for the period between May 23, 2011 and May 6, 2021, when he was the minister for food and civil supplies, charging him with activities which translated into the then minister abusing his official position. He had held additional charge as minister of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) for a year from 2015. “He intentionally amassed wealth by illicitly acquiring assets and resources in his name, in the name of his family members and in the name of his close associates, which are disproportionate to his known sources of income,” the FIR stated.
Kamaraj, was in possession of pecuniary resources and. properties in the form of buildings, agriculture lands, gold jewellery, motor vehicle, fixed deposits, LIC policies, shares and investments in companies, bank balance to the tune of Rs. 1,39,54,290/- in his name and in the name of his family members in the beginning of the check period, the FIR adds.
During the check period all the six accused “entered into a criminal conspiracy with intention to legitimise Al’s ill-gotten wealth and decided to purchase a Private Limited Company in the name of NARC Hotel Private Limited from one K R Annamalai Chettiyar and his associates in Thanjavur district. The value of assets acquired by Kamaraj and in the name of his two sons through the other three accused during the check period is Rs. 58,84,50,749.
The case was registered in Thiruvarur under sections 120( B ) of the Indian Penal Code and 13(2) r/w 13 (11) (e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
