Trouble mounting for ex-AIADMK minister P Thangamani as DVAC raids his residence, office; searches 60 places
Synopsis
DVAC conducted raids at the residence and office of former Tamil Nadu Minister and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader P Thangamani at more than 60 places including Erode, Namakkal
The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-corruption is conducting raids on senior AIADMK leader and former Minister P Thangamani's residence and office at more than 60 places, including Erode, Namakkal in connection with a disproportionate assets case. Thangamani held the Electricity and Prohibition and Excise portfolios in the previous AIADMK regime.
The DVAC registered a case against Thangamani, 60, his wife T Santhi, 56, and son T Dharanidharan, 32 for amassing disproportionate assets worth Rs 4.85 crore from May 23, 2016 to May 6, 2021.
He is the fifth former minister from the main opposition party in the state to come under the vigilance net over alleged disproportionate assets, with the others being MR Vijayabhaskar, SP Velumani, K C Veeramani and C Vijayabaskar.
Searches began on 69 premises in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka in the morning. In Tamil Nadu, searches were happening in Chennai (14 places), Vellore, Salem, Karur, Namakkal, Tirupur and Coimbatore districts. Searches were happening in one place in Karnataka and two places in Andhra Pradesh.
In Chennai, the searches were being conducted Thangamani’s residence in Panaiyur and his close friend's residence at SAF Games village in Koyambedu. His business partners’ residences were also being searched.
The officials were conducting searches at Thangamani's son-in-law Dinesh Kumar's house in Chennai and at the house of Kumar's father Siva Subramanian.
Searches were being conducted at Jaya Sri plywood showrooms which are in the name of Thangamani's daughter.
AIADMK cadre assembled outside Thangamani’s residence at Govindampalayam and shouted slogans against the DMK government for registering false cases against former ministers.