Chennai: Keeping the heat on the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has approached the Sessions Court in Thoothukudi, seeking to assist the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) in the Disproportionate Assets (DA) case against Fisheries Minister Anitha R Radhakrishnan. This comes close on the heels of the central probe agency letting off the high profile Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy and his son, Gautham Sigamani, MP, after two days of interrogation.
Radhakrishnan is the third minister in Stalin's cabinet to come under the scrutiny of the ED, which appears to be unrelenting in its pursuit of the DMK bigwigs. Last night senior DMK minister K Ponmudy and his son, Gautham Sigamani, MP, were let off by the Enforcement Directorate after two days of intense grilling following the search and seizure, in a money laundering case.
Last month, the ED had arrested prominent DMK Minister V Senthil Balaji, who is now in judicial custody and lodged in the Central Puzhal Prison. Earlier, after being remanded, he underwent heart surgery at a private hospital. His legal battle against his arrest and the ED seeking custody had reached the Supreme Court after a Division Bench of Madras High Court gave a split verdict and the third Judge also upheld the arrest.
The basis for the ED initiating a money laundering probe on Radhakrishnan was the FIR registered by the DVAC under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 for acquiring assets to the tune of Rs 2 Crore, disproportionate to his known sources of income. He was a minister in the then Jayalalitha Government (2001-2005) and the case was filed by the successive DMK government in September 2006 and in 2009, he then switched over to the DMK. The chargesheet against him and six family members, including his wife, son, and brothers was filed in 2019. The trial court framed charges in December 2017. Then, in December 2022, the ED registered a case (ECIR) in December 2020.
During the investigation, the ED claimed to have found evidence of the accused infusing unexplained cash into the bank accounts of various partnership firms and advanced to various persons to acquire immovable properties from time to time. The agency had also summoned the accused and secured statements to prove the modus operandi.
Now, the ED had in its plea, filed in April this year through its Special Public Prosecutor N Ramesh at the Thoothukudi District and Principal Sessions court, submitted that it had collected crucial evidence against Radhakrishnan and should be allowed to assist the DVAC in the case. However, the DVAC had strongly objected to this petition questioning the locus standi of the agency to interfere in the ongoing trial. The family members of Radhakrishnan too have opposed this. While adjourning the matter to August 2, the judge accepted the plea of the ED not to examine the witnesses till the disposal of its petition.
The contention of the ED was that since the prime accused in the case was a serving Minister the handling of the case by DVAC, a state agency, should not give any room for public distrust. Citing an earlier High Court ruling, the agency should be granted the right for a third party to assist the prosecution in the public interest. It also sought permission to submit in the court documentary evidence collected against Radhakrishnan and a written submission.
Earlier, in February last, the ED had provisionally attached properties of Radhakrishnan worth Rs 6.5 Crore in connection with the money laundering probe linked to the DA case. The 18 immovable properties included 160 acres of land and residential properties acquired by him during the check period from May 14, 2001, to March 31, 2006. “The guideline value of these properties is around 6.5 crore,” the ED had said.
Madras High Court which had earlier given a go-ahead for the ED, had in December last granted an interim stay on the agency from carrying out further investigation into the case as the matter was pending before the supreme court. The stay has been extended till July 28.
Also read: Not just money laundering, ED raids on Ponmudi premises unearth more than what meets the eye
