CHENNAI: About eight years after Jaffer Sadiq’s alleged involvement in drug trade came to light, the expelled DMK leader in 2021 pivoted his business empire from metal scrap, fish trade and hospitality towards the Tamil film industry, where he pumped in at least Rs 10 crore, investigations by Enforcement Directorate (ED) has found.
This attempt was to allegedly layer and launder the proceeds of international drug trafficking syndicate that he was operating with his brothers Mohammed Saleem and Mydeen Gani; the latter incidentally was launched as a hero by Sadiq in an under-production film ‘Iraivan Miga Periyavan’ directed by Ameer Sulthan.
ED’s probe shows that Sadiq started JSM Pictures, a partnership firm with his step brother Nagoor Kani and JSM Pictures (OPC) Pvt Ltd around 2021 which had six films under production. Ameer has been identified as Sadiq’s close ally for a decade, his mentor and guide to venture into film making, and that the production companies were shaped under his tutelage. Sadiq and Ameer were also business partners in a Zuko Overseas Pvt Ltd, a firm created to sell imported dry fruits in Chennai, the probe found.
The agency’s investigation shows Sadiq used a middleman, AVS Marimuthu, to route Rs 10 crore of his cash into JSM Pictures. Cash given by Sadiq would be given to various financiers by Marimuthu, who would transfer it to JSM Picture’s account as a loan, for which 9-12% of simple interest for three months would be shown as paid. The financiers and Marimuthu would get a commission of about 3% for this. Bank accounts of several Marwaris in north Chennai were used for these accommodation entries for which they earned Rs 30,000 to Rs 2 lakh as commission, the ED probe found.
Marimuthu was one of those searched by ED after registering the money laundering case.
Investigation of a yellow diary and several excel sheets found from JSM Pictures’ employees found that actors and technicians working on the films were paid from cash allegedly generated from export of drugs. A sum of Rs 6.31 crore of cash expenses has been recorded by ED.
The agency found cash infusion even in ‘Mayavalai’ and ‘Iraivan Miga Periyavan’, the former co-produced by Ameer and Sadiq under their banners. The agency also points a finger at Rs 3.3 crore cash transactions made in bank accounts linked to Ameer, attributing it to Sadiq’s drug money. This evidence is cited to allege a close financial nexus between Ameer and Sadiq and his brothers.
Ameer has been named accused number 12 in the chargesheet by ED.
Movies under production
1. Iraivan Miga Periyavan, Director: Ameer, Actor: Mydeen
2. Mangai, Director: Gubenthiran, Actress Anandhi
3. Indra, Director: Sabari, Actor: Vasanth Ravi
4. Name undecided, Director & Actor: Dheena
5. Name undecided, Director: Vivek, Actor: Mydeen
6. Maayavalai (co-produced with Ameer), Director: Ramesh, Actor- Satya