The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday searched multiple premises linked to Tamil Nadu Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader I Periyasamy and his MLA son as part of a money laundering investigation, official sources said.
The raids were undertaken in Chennai and Dindigul under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The premises of I P Sentilkumar, the son of the 72-year-old minister for rural development, panchayats and panchayat unions, were also searched, according to the sources. Periyasamy represents the Athoor assembly constituency in Dindigul district.
There was no immediate comment from Periyasamy or the DMK on the ED action.
The money laundering investigation stems from an April order of the Madras High Court, which directed a special court in Dindigul to frame charges against Periyasamy and his family members in connection with a Rs 2.1 crore "disproportionate" assets case.
Soon after the raids, senior DMK leader Kanimozhi alleged that central agencies like IT and ED have been 'weaponised' by the Bharatiya Janata Party to be used against the Opposition.
She asserted that the ruling party won't be cowed down by the Enforcement Directorate searches against senior minister Periyasamy.
Responding to the ED action against the minister, Kanimozhi in Tuticorin alleged that "on one hand the BJP is using the EC to carry out attacks against democracy using SIR (Special Intensive Revision in Bihar) in a desperate bid to win elections."
"At the same time, agencies like IT, ED and CBI which they regularly use as a weapon against opposition, are being used against senior minsters of DMK as well. These agencies have been weaponised and used as instruments against opposition. One such raid is happening today. The DMK will face this," she told reporters here.
"The minister has crossed so many challenges and stood firm with DMK. No amount of intimidation will threaten our workers and leaders," she said.
The money laundering investigation against Periyasamy stems from an order of the Madras High Court in April, which directed a special court in Dindigul to frame charges against the DMK leader and his family members in connection with a Rs 2.1 crore "disproportionate assets" case.
The order came in response to some criminal revision petitions filed by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, challenging a special court order discharging Periyasamy and his family members from the case.
The HC also directed the special court to conduct the trial on a day-to-day basis and complete it within six months.
The prosecution's case was that Periyasamy had amassed wealth to the tune of Rs 2.1 crore in his name and in the names of his wife, P Suseela and sons P Sentilkumar and P Prabhu, disproportionate to his known sources of income when he was a minister between 2006 and 2010.