CHENNAI: After the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) searches in Tasmac outlets found out alleged irregularities of Rs 1,000 crore, Electricity and Prohibition Minister V Senthil Balaji said on Friday the government is prepared to face the issue legally.
After the budget session, the minister clarified the ED claims to have conducted its investigation based on multiple FIRs related to overpricing at Tasmac liquor shops. “Tasmac operates around 4,800 outlets across Tamil Nadu. If salesmen are found violating rules, strict action will be taken against them by the management. So, we have no issue with any inquiry in this matter.”
Denying any malpractice, he asserted all Tasmac tenders were floated transparently. “The ED has mentioned seizing certain documents related to this, but we have nothing to hide. Moreover, some papers seized by the ED are from distilleries regarding their commercial activities, which are beyond Tasmac’s scope. How am I supposed to answer to that?” he added.
Quoting the Delhi liquor policy scam and Chhattisgarh, Senthil Balaji said the state had not introduced any new liquor policy like Delhi. He clarified no new brewery, distillery, or retail shops had been approved and that the government had been following the existing norms since the formation of Tasmac.
Without naming BJP state president K Annamalai, Balaji said, “A person had earlier claimed a Rs 1,000 crore scam, and later, the ED mentioned the same amount in its statement. This has a thousand meanings. Even the leader of opposition initially spoke of a Rs 1,000 crore scam but later inflated the figure to Rs 40,000 crore.”
He alleged the ED’s statement was deliberately released a day before the state finance budget to tarnish the image of the government and Chief Minister MK Stalin. “CM Stalin has faced pressures on issues like delimitation and the three-language policy. The people of Tamil Nadu understand the situation. The Union government is misusing the ED,” he said.
On liquor procurement, Balaji clarified orders had been placed based on market demand over the past four years. “We have only procured brands that consumers prefer. There was no special interest in any particular brand,” he asserted.