In the continuing crackdown by the AIADMKgovernment, two former DMK ministers Veerapandi S Arumugam and I Periyasamywere arrested today on different charges, including land grabbing.
Arumugam, the DMK's strongman in Salem district, wasarrested near his residence here on land grabbing charges and Periyasamy atKoombur in Dindigul district for alleged illegal granite mining, police said.
On May 17, vigilance officials had conducted raids at 16premises of Arumugam and his relatives in Chennai and Salem in connection witha disproportionate assets case.
Police said Periyasamy and another DMK functionaryMuralidharan had illegally mined gravel on 16 acres at Ayyampalayam in Dindiguldistrict without getting permission from the Assistant director of Mines,causing a revenue loss of Rs 30 lakh to the government.
They said Periyasamy, who had been absconding since morning,appeared before Deputy Superintendent of Police Suriliraja and offered to getarrested. As tension prevailed in this town, he was taken to Koombur on thedistrict border and arrested there, they said.
A magistrate court at Nilakottai later remanded him to 15days judicial custody.
Arumugam and Periyasamy are the latest to be added to thelist of several leaders and former ministers, besides MLAs, who have facedaction by police or Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption either on landgrab charges or allegations of disproportionate assets, after the AIADMKgovernment came to power in April last year.