Chennai, March 8 The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is continuing its raids for the third-consecutive day at the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) headquarters and various liquor contractors’ offices in Chennai.
TASMAC, a state-run corporation, is the sole distributor of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) in Tamil Nadu.
The ED officials have been conducting searches at the TASMAC headquarters, located in the Thalamuthu Natarajan Building, Egmore, along with the premises of major liquor contractors in the city.
Sources within the agency confirmed that raids are also underway at liquor companies owned by DMK leader Jagathrakshakan.
Additionally, the ED is searching the headquarters of SNJ Distilleries on Greams Road, Thousand Lights, and Akkadu Distillers’ offices in T Nagar.
Simultaneously, officials have been carrying out searches for the third day at the residence of an MGM liquor contractor on Radha Krishnan Salai.
Similar raids are taking place in Coimbatore at Shiva Distillery in Narasimhanaickenpalayam.
According to sources, these searches are connected to alleged financial irregularities within TASMAC.
The ED has been targeting multiple locations linked to Tamil Nadu Minister V. Senthil Balaji, government contractors, and other related entities.
On March 6, a team of around 20 ED officials arrived in Karur in five vehicles to conduct searches at several locations, including the residences of Mani, owner of Kongu Mess, in Rayanur, Sakthivel, owner of Sakthi Mess, in Gothai Nagar, Athur Branch Road, MCS Sankar, a PWD contractor and a close associate of Senthil Balaji, in Palaniappan Nagar.
It is worth noting that Senthil Balaji was arrested by the ED on June 14, 2023, in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged cash-for-jobs scam that took place during his tenure as Transport Minister in the AIADMK government.
Following his arrest, Balaji switched allegiance to the DMK and was appointed Minister for Electricity and Prohibition.
On August 12, 2023, the ED filed a 3,000-page charge sheet against him, accusing him of misusing his official position for personal financial gain.
The charge sheet alleged that Balaji directly obtained illicit funds from criminal activities related to the scam.
The agency claimed that Balaji orchestrated the scam in collusion with his brother R.V. Ashok Kumar, his personal aides, and officials from the Transport Department.
Investigations revealed that despite his denial of ties with aides Shanmugam and Karthikeyan, both had been operating under his direct instructions.
Furthermore, the ED alleged that the scam involved money laundering through layering and integration into the formal economy via cash deposits and third-party associates.
Balaji’s multiple bail pleas were dismissed by lower courts and the High Court.
However, on September 26, 2024, after spending over a year in jail, he was finally granted bail by the Supreme Court of India.
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