Chennai: Spreading the net wide, the ruling DMK government of MK Stalin is keeping the heat on former AIADMK ministers one after the other. Since the DMK came to power in May 2021, vigilance raids have been carried out on seven prominent members of the Edapaddi K Palaniswami (EPS) cabinet. While the searches and raids kept the principal opposition on tenterhooks, forcing it to tread on the back foot and cry foul, none had been arrested so far.
Prosecuting the 'corrupt' in the previous regime was an important poll plank of the DMK and the party had pledged to take swift action in its manifesto. Even before the assembly election, the DMK had submitted two memorandums to the governor, listing corruption charges against the EPS and his cabinet colleagues. The anti-corruption NGO, Arappor Iyakkam, had filed many complaints with the DVAC against them and top IAS officials.
The first to come under the vigilance net in July 2021 was former Transport Minister MR Vijayabhaskar who lost the Karur assembly seat to his bete noire, Senthil Balaji, present Transport Minister. According to DVAC, the searches on his premises and that of his associates had resulted in the seizure of Rs 25.56 lakh cash besides documents revealing that he had illegal wealth to the tune of Rs 6.11 crore. This was two months after Stalin assumed office and gave the impression that the new government was serious in its intent and rattled the AIADMK leadership.
The next to be raided was the resourceful SP Velumani, former Local Administration Minister and an AIADMK heavyweight, and it was found that he had amassed Rs 51.09 crore disproportionate assets. Interestingly, during the search of his residence in suburban Coimbatore, protesting party workers who gathered there in large numbers were provided food and beverages! Shortly after the raid, there was a shake up of the police establishment in the district with many being transferred reportedly for passing on information in advance about the impending searches.
Then followed the searches on P Thangamani, former Electricity Minister, also party strongman in the Western region, KC Veeramani, former Minister for Commercial Taxes, C Vijayabhaskar, former Health Minister and KP Anbalagan, former Higher Education Minister. As of now, the total assets disproportionate to their known sources of income stand close to Rs 200 crore.
Apart from the vigilance cases against the leading AIADMK functionaries, probe into the sensational burglary and murders at Kodanad estate bungalow of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, has come to haunt former Chief Minister EPS, though moving at a snail's pace. In the current fratricidal war over leadership in the party, the O Panneerselvam camp has been demanding the government to accentuate the pace of the investigation. But for questioning the suspects once again and obtaining statements, the fresh investigation into the case has not proceeded further. EPS, who was rattled when the fresh investigation was launched at a time when the trial in the case was nearing completion to be given a closure appears to have got a breathing time.
Initially analysts and anti-corruption activists were puzzled as to why no arrest has been made in these cases filed under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Now, analysts opine that this is a strategy of Chief Minister MK Stalin providing a long rope to the accused former ministers so that the government is not seen as being vindictive and allowing the law to take its course. Though it is not a case of willing to strike but afraid to hurt, analysts explain that it appears to be intended to keep the pot boiling till the next elections to reap a rich harvest.
