Annamalai calls DMK “den for corrupt”, demands apology for “betraying” TN people

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India]: The ruling party, DMK continues to be a “den for corruption”, alleged Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president K Annamalai after Enforcement Directorate (ED) took possession of assets belonging to DMK MP A Raja on Tuesday.

Annamalai further demanded an apology from the party for “constantly betraying people who voted for them”.

“DMK continues to be a den for corrupt. 11 DMK ministers have serious corruption allegations against them and the cases are pending in court and many have pending money laundering charges against them. DMK should bow down to the people of TN and apologise for constantly betraying the people who voted for them,” Annamalai said in a post on X.

He added, “In 2011 the Time Magazine listed A Raja in the ignominious club of privileged leaders who abused their power. Proud moment for DMK, as its founding leaders despite numerous corruption couldn’t manage to find their name on it.”

“The Enforcement Directorate has revealed today that A Raja also abused his power as the Environment Minister between 2004-2007 and received kickbacks in exchange for granting environmental clearances,” he said.

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has taken possession of 15 immovable properties allegedly owned by DMK MP A Raja in the name of a benami company Kovai Shelters Promoters India Pvt. Ltd, an agency release said earlier today.

During the course of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) investigation, ED found that Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) minister A Raja during his tenure as minister of environment and forests had granted environmental clearances to a real estate company, based out of Gurugram, according to a statement from ED released on late Thursday.

Further, during the course of the PMLA investigation, ED has found that the real estate company has given kickback to A Raja for awarding the green nod, around the same period in the year 2007, in the garb of land commission income in the hands of one benami company of A Raja.

The agency said 45 acres of land in Coimbatore worth Rs.55 crore purchased directly using the proceeds of the crime has been provisionally attached by ED. Further investigation in the case is under progress, it said.