Thanjavur/ Chennai: An 11-member Enforcement Directorate (ED) team on Wednesday raided the residence of former AIADMK minister and Orathanadu MLA Vaithilingam in Tamil Nadu's Thanjavur district in an alleged money laundering case linked to the granting of project approvals, state police sources said.
The raid was conducted at Uranthairayankudikadu area near Orathanadu in Thanjavur this morning under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The move comes after an investigation was initiated by the Tamil Nadu's Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) against Vaithilingam on the basis of a complaint filed by Jayaram Venkatesan, coordinator of the Arappor movement.
The DVAC had registered a case against Vaithilingam, alleging that he misused his powers when he was the housing minister and received money from a private construction company in exchange of granting housing plan approvals.
DVAC has also alleged that Vaithilingam amassed assets disproportionate to his known income sources during his ministerial role.
Vaithilingam, considered to be a close aide of O Panneerselvam, was the state's Housing and Urban Development minister during the AIADMK regime from 2011 to 2016. He was a Rajya Sabha MP from 2016 to 2021 and is currently the sitting MLA from Orathanadu assembly constituency.
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