Saturday, Mar 15 2025 | Time 10:56 Hrs(IST)
States » South


Senthilbalajii says ED raids on TASMAC done with ulterior motives, denies charges of Rs 1,000 cr fraud

Senthilbalajii says ED raids on TASMAC done with ulterior motives, denies charges of Rs 1,000 cr fraud

Chennai, Mar 14 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Minister for Electricity, Prohibition, and Excise

V. Senthilbalaji on Friday said the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids on the

state-owned TASMAC was done with ulterior motives.

He also denied the ED claim that it has unearthed Rs 1,000 crore irregularities in

TASMAC involving various distilleries and bottling companies.

Stating that the ED has made these allegations without any evidence, the Minister

he said he would face the charges legally.

He said though the ED had initiated investigations on the basis of multiple First

Information Reports (FIRs) under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption

Act, 1998, it had not explained clearly when these FIRs were filed.

M Senthilbalaji said as Chief Minister M K Stalin has been stoutly opposing the

NEP, refusing to accept the three-language policy and also delimitation based

on population, the Centre has misused the ED to conduct the raids.

It was an attempt to tarnish the image of the Chief Minister who enjoys the goodwill

and confidence of the people.

He also asserted that there was no scope for irregularities as claimed by the ED and

all the tender process were done in a transparent manner as per the rules.

After the three-day raids, the ED in a statement on Thursday evening said

the searches at premises of several private distilleries and TASMAC head

office in the city and across Tamil Nadu, has revealed massive irregularities

to the tune of over Rs 1,000 crores.

It said the collusion between distilleries and bottling firms having indulged in

fraudulent measures have come to light in this irregularities.

The raids also revealed a network where unaccounted cash was deliberately

generated through inflated and bogus expenses and subsequently utilized for

purposes leading to huge profits.

It said ED has conducted search operations at various premises across many

districts of Tamil Nadu from March six under the provisions of Prevention of

Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, for various offences related to the

Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited (TASMAC) and its associated

entities/persons.

The ED initiated investigation on the basis of multiple FIRs registered under

various sections of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 related to various issues

in the TASMAC.

These FIRs fall into the categories of TASMAC shops collecting excess amount

than the actual MRP; Distillery companies offering kickbacks to TASMAC officials

for supply orders; involvement of Senior officials of TASMAC in collection of bribes

from the Retail TASMAC outlets and for transfer and posting of TASMAC Staff, etc.

UNI GV 2110

More News
Dalit revolution necessary to end backwardness: Chennithala

Dalit revolution necessary to end backwardness: Chennithala

15 Mar 2025 | 9:51 AM

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 15 (UNI) The time has come for a Dalit revolution across the country for a comprehensive development of the Dalit and Adivasi communities, senior Congress leader and AICC Working Committee Member Ramesh Chennithala has said.

see more..
Karnataka Dy Speaker injured in road accident

Karnataka Dy Speaker injured in road accident

15 Mar 2025 | 9:40 AM

Chitradurga, Mar 15 (UNI) Karnataka’s Deputy Speaker, Rudrappa Lamani, was injured in a road accident near Hiriyur in Chitradurga district on Friday night.

see more..
Nayanta Univ shares Chennai vision

Nayanta Univ shares Chennai vision

15 Mar 2025 | 8:13 AM

Chennai, March 15 (UNI) Nayanta University, a new and visionary educational institution,
is set to begin classes in August 2025 at its residential state-of-the-art campus at Bavdhan
in Pune.

see more..
Chandrayaan-2 unveils effect of Earth’s geomagnetic tail on the Lunar ionosphere plasma

Chandrayaan-2 unveils effect of Earth’s geomagnetic tail on the Lunar ionosphere plasma

15 Mar 2025 | 8:09 AM

Chennai, Mar 15 (UNI) In a major finding, scientists from Space Physics Laboratory, VSSC, analysing radio signals from India’s Chandrayaan-2 (CH-2) Orbiter – which is in good health and providing data - have revealed that the Moon’s ionosphere exhibits unexpectedly high electron densities when it enters the Earth’s geomagnetic tail.

see more..
Chandrayaan-3 bags credit for first-ever in-situ measurement of Lunar Surface, revealing insights about harbouring water-ice on Moon

Chandrayaan-3 bags credit for first-ever in-situ measurement of Lunar Surface, revealing insights about harbouring water-ice on Moon

15 Mar 2025 | 7:54 AM

Chennai, Mar 15 (UNI) India's Chandrayaan-3 ChaSTE payload onboard Vikram Lander has taken the credit for the first-ever in-situ measurement of the temperature of the Moon's surface, down to a depth of ten centimetres, at the Southern higher latitude.

see more..