The political landscape in Tamil Nadu witnessed another twist today as a fresh complaint was lodged by the AIADMK (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) with the Income Tax Department and Enforcement Department. The complaint seeks action against former finance minister of Tamil Nadu, PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan, based on an alleged audio clip released by the state president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), K. Annamalai. In the audio, PTR Palanivel Thiyagaran purportedly claims that Udhayanithi Stalin, son of Chief Minister MK Stalin, and Sabareesan, his son-in-law, have accumulated an illegal fortune of over 30,000 crores since the DMK came to power.
The controversy surrounding this issue began on April 25 when Annamalai made public an audio recording, causing tremors within the ruling DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) party. The audio clip allegedly features PTR Palanivel Thiyagaran making startling revelations about the vast wealth amassed by Udhayanithi Stalin and Sabareesan, surpassing the lifetime earnings of their predecessors. PTR Palanivel Thiyagaran further accuses them of siphoning off significant portions of corrupt funds.
PTR Palanivel Thiyagaran is heard saying in the alleged audio, “The party which is the CM’s son and son-in-law, ask them to make the financing.. right? So I decided after watching this for 8 months.. This is not a sustainable model. The great luxury for me if I put my papers in.. In the short term, I get out before the shit starts blowing up in their face. I have the like.. kind of.. what do you say.. cleanliness of my conscience that I did not have to like it wasn’t I gave up the fight too early.. I don’t have to say it.. I’m no longer in the post.. it’s not my job.. somebody did it.”
Before this audio clip was released by BJP state president Annamalai, another audio clip surfaced on social media on April 19, 2023, allegedly featuring PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan. In that audio, he is believed to have accused members of MK Stalin’s family of amassing more wealth in a year than they had accumulated throughout their lifetimes. “Both Udhay and Sabari have realized they have made more money in one year than they [unclear] entire lives, and now it’s getting to be a problem, how to handle it, how to not get caught, how to get payments here.. [unclear] It’s all being made gradually? 10 to 20 crores.. assuming we will say 5000/30000 crores.. [unclear]. How can you [unclear] 5000/30000 crores without paying any [unclear],” the audio clip supposedly of PTR Palanivel Thiyagaran suggests. (There are conflicting reports on whether the amount mentioned is 5000 crores or 30000 crores.)
Both audio clips quickly went viral, resulting in the portfolio change of PTR Palanivel Thiyagaran. However, the DMK has refuted the reported reason and claimed that it was a routine portfolio reshuffle.
In light of the seriousness of the allegations, Advocate Babu Murugavel, representing the AIADMK, has filed a complaint with the Central government agencies seeking action in this matter. Dissatisfied with the lack of progress on his initial complaint, Murugavel has now lodged another complaint with the Income Tax Department and Enforcement Directorate to process his complaint.
In light of the arrest of DMK liquor minister Senthil Balaji by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a job racket case, the opposition party AIADMK seeks to increase its pressure on the ruling DMK by raising the PTR audio issue with both the ED and the income tax department.
(with inputs from Samayam Tamil)
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