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A case of disproportionate assets was slapped on R Kamaraj, a former minister during the previous All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam regime, by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption and searches were held on Friday in multiple locations linked to him, the police said.
Disproportionate assets of Kamaraj stood at Rs 58.44 crore and he has been booked for criminal conspiracy and offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, according to the FIR.
Searches in 52 locations spread across Chennai, Coimbatore, Tiruchirappalli, Thanjavur and Tiruvarur districts led to seizure of Rs 41.06 lakh in cash, 963 sovereign gold jewelley and approximately 23,960 gram silver, a press release said.
Kamaraj, a native of Tiruvarur district and presently MLA (Nannilam segment), was the Minister for Food and Civil Supplies from 2011 to 2021.
Already, former ministers and AIADMK leaders including SP Velumani and P Thangamani who are considered pretty close to top leader Edappadi K Palaniswami, C Vijayabaskar and MR Vijayabhaskar are facing Vigilance cases.
AIADMK top leader K Palaniswami slammed the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government, condemned the case and searches and said the case has been filed due to 'political vendetta' as the ruling party could not take on his party politically.
The DMK government should stop its vendetta politics and focus on welfare measures for the people, Palaniswami said on his twitter handle.
According to the FIR, the quantum of assets disproportionately acquired by Kamaraj, the first accused in the case, in his name and in the name of his two sons (Assued No 2 and 3) and in the name of his associate firm (through three other accused A-4 to A-6) during the check period between April 1, 2015 and March 31, 2021 is Rs 58.44 crore.
Kamaraj, his sons Dr MK Eniyan, Dr K Inban, and three associates, R Chandrakasan, B Krishnamoorthy and S Udhayakumar, have been named in the FIR.
As on April 1, 2015, before the commencement of the check period the value of assets found in the name of Kamaraj, his wife and two sons (in the form of buildings, agriculture lands, gold jewellery, motor vehicle, insurance policies, bank balance and others) was Rs 1.39 crore.
The seizure also includes hard discs, i-phone, computer, pen drive, documents and a bank locker key, the release said adding probe is on.