ED raids places linked to AIADMK leader in money laundering case

Chennai, Oct 23 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) was on Wednesday conducting raids across several locations linked to AIADMK leader and sitting legislator R. Vaithalingam in connection with a money laundering case.

The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) had registered a case against Vaithalingam, who was a minister in the erstwhile AIADMK government, and his son, V. Prabhu.

The DVAC, in its charge sheet, stated that Vaithalingam, during his tenure as the Housing and Urban Development Minister from 2011 to 2016, amassed assets and wealth under his son’s name through a real estate company.

The charge sheet also mentioned that an amount of Rs 27.9 crore was transferred to various shell companies belonging to the former Minister’s family.

The vigilance department has alleged that these assets and wealth are disproportionate to the known sources of income of the former minister and his son.

It is worth noting that since the DMK government assumed office in 2021, the DVAC has registered cases against several senior AIADMK leaders who are former ministers.

Cases have been registered against former Transport Minister R. Vijayabhaskar, former Food and Civil Supplies Minister R. Kamaraj, former Health Minister C. Vijayabhaskar, and former Minister for Higher Education K.P. Anbalagan.

The DMK government has also registered three cases against former Minister and strongman of Coimbatore, S.P. Velumani. The DVAC registered a case against the former minister and P. Thangamani.

AIADMK General Secretary and former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Edappadi K.Palaniswami (EPS), has alleged that the DMK government is using the DVAC to target AIADMK leaders.

It may be noted that the DVAC had filed a 150-page charge sheet against the AIADMK leader and sitting MLA K.P. Anbalagan. The case, according to DVAC, is that he had amassed wealth disproportionate to his income and had bought quarries in the name of his son, son-in-law and son-in-law's brothers.