Thoothukudi (Tamil Nadu): The Enforcement Directorate has filed a petition in the Thoothukudi court seeking to be included in the alleged disproportionate assets case against Fisheries Minister Anitha Radhakrishnan for adding property worth Rs 4.90 crore beyond his income. The court on Friday adjourned the case and listed the next hearing on July 19.
Radhakrishnan served as the Housing Board Minister in the AIADMK cabinet from 2001 to 2006. In 2006, the anti-corruption department of the then DMK government had registered a case against him for accumulating property worth Rs 4.90 crore in excess of income. Apart from Radhakrishnan, the case was registered against six others including his wife Jayakanti, sons Anantha Padmanaban, Anantha Ramakrishnan and Anantha Maheswaran and brothers Shanmuganathan and Sivanandan.
On ED's application for being included as petitioners, the anti-corruption department has now informed the court that since the investigation of this case is 80 per cent complete, the ED cannot be included at this junction. Judge Selvam of Thoothukudi Principal Court will hear the ED's petition on July 19.
According to political sources if Radhakrishnan is allowed to be investigated by the ED in the alleged disproportionate assets case, then the agency may start including other ministers as well. Now several ministers are in a tough situation apprehending a probe by the ED.
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Earlier, in 2017, Radhakrishnan had appealed to the High Court for transferring the case but it was turned down. Then, in August 2022, Radhakrishnan had even appealed to the Supreme Court against the High Court order.
