Calling it yet another instance of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) carrying out political vendetta, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) condemned the case filed by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption wing on Monday, 18 October, against former Health Minister C Vijayabaskar, for possession of disproportionate assets to the tune of Rs 27.22 crore.
Vijayabaskar is the fourth former AIADMK Minister to face a case of disproportionate assets. Earlier, former Commercial Taxes Minister KC Veeramani, former Transport Minister MR Vijayabhasker, and former Local Administration Minister SP Velumani were brought under the scanner on similar allegations.
The AIADMK had then called these raids "politically motivated", adding they "would face it legally".
DMK Doing This for 'Temporary Happiness'
AIADMK leaders O Panneerselvam and K Palaniswami condemned the raids saying the DMK was doing this just to get 'temporary happiness'.
"The AIADMK is a great organisation, similar to a fathomless ocean," they said in a joint statement, adding that the party would not be cowed down by the DMK regime's raids.
Though the DMK may “spread slander and whatever may be the case against as many party office-bearers, we would like to convey that no one will be able to stop the huge victories of the AIADMK in future,” the leaders said.
"The FIR against Vijayabaskar is nothing but mere accusations. We will fight the case legally and win," AIADMK's legal wing joint secretary RM Babu Murugavel told PTI. Several leaders said that DMK was able to tolerate AIADMK's grand golden jubilee celebrations.
Vijayabaskar, who is also the AIADMK's organisational secretary and Pudukottai north district secretary, was elected from Viralimalai Assembly constituency for a third time in a row in the Assembly election held in April this year.
During the search operation on Monday, Rs 23.85 lakh cash, 10 hard discs and other documents were seized along with 4.87 kg of gold items, and registration certificates of 136 commercial vehicles, an official release said.
According to the FIR, a verification process revealed that Vijayabaskar accumulated maximum assets during the 2016-2021 when he was the health minister of the state. His wife Ramya, too, was held responsible as several properties were registered in her name. The anti-graft sleuths held searches in 48 locations spread across seven districts of Tamil Nadu.
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