CHENNAI: DMK organising secretary R S Bharathi accused the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of acting like a blackmailing organisation and welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to stay the central agency’s probe into the alleged Tasmac scam.
Bharathi was reacting to the SC’s order on Thursday at the party headquarters. Chief Minister M K Stalin was also present there, for the launch of a book titled ‘Ulagengum Kalaignar’. After the book launch, Stalin held brief discussions with party functionaries regarding the preparations for the party’s general council meeting set to take place in Madurai on June 1.
Later, Bharathi told reporters, “Forgetting that many cases related to Tasmac have been pending for a long time, BJP leaders have made it a habit to speak out and use the ED just to have news published, targeting the DMK. The SC’s stay on the ED probe is a crushing blow to them.”
He also alleged that the ED has become a “blackmailing agency” referring to the corruption charges filed against ED officials in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
DMK spokesperson and advocate Saravanan Annadurai said the ED had aggregated over 40 FIRs filed by the DVAC since 2014 solely to establish jurisdiction, as the agency can intervene only in cases involving irregularities exceeding `40 lakh. “Now the SC has tamed the ED,” he added.
Speaking to reporters at the TNCC headquarters in Sathyamoorthi Bhavan on Thursday, TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai welcomed the SC’s recent observations in the ED versus Tasmac case, calling them “historic.” Quoting the apex court, he said, “The ED is violating the Constitution and crossing all limits.” He pointed out that, of the 193 cases registered by the ED in the past 11 years, only two have ended in convictions. “Who will answer for the suffering of the other 191 families,” he asked.
In a press statement, CPI state secretary R Mutharasan also highlighted the apex court’s observation against the ED, adding that the CPI welcomes the SC’s observation that the ED has degraded into a political tool.