Former Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai has launched a scathing attack on the DMK-led state government following a shocking incident involving a TASMAC bar owner who attempted suicide, allegedly due to continuous harassment and extortion by TASMAC officials.
Taking to social media, Annamalai accused the DMK government of exploiting the state’s liquor distribution system for profit, while pushing the common man to the brink of despair. “How many more lives will your government destroy before you stop looting the poor?” he asked. “TASMAC’s sole aim is to ensure that common people remain inebriated, and the DMK profits at their expense.”
Annamalai’s full statement read, “TASMAC is a Tamil Nadu state-run corporation whose sole aim is to ensure that common people remain inebriated, and the DMK profits at their expense. Sales through illegal bars, unaccounted billing running to lakhs from every shop, and several thousand crores end up in the coffers of DMK Ministers every month. And here’s a TASMAC bar owner, unable to handle the pressure of being bullied by every officer in the system, wanting to take his life. TN CM Thir @mkstalin, how many more lives will your government destroy before you stop looting the poor and start acting like the Chief Minister of the State?”
The controversy erupted after Balakrishnan, a 50-year-old runs a TASMAC outlet near the Thennur Uzhavar Market in Trichy, attempted to take his own life by taking poison. His family managed to rescue him in time and admitted him to a private hospital, where he remains under intensive care. In the aftermath, a video surfaced online showing Balakrishnan revealing the reasons behind his drastic step, and the footage has since gone viral.
In the video, a visibly distressed Balakrishnan names several TASMAC officials whom he holds responsible for his mental anguish and suicide attempt. He accuses the Trichy District Manager, Accounts Assistant Manager Arjun, PWD Inspector Balakrishnan, and PWD writer Aravind of repeatedly demanding ₹50,000 in bribes every month, under the threat of registering false cases against him and his employees. He alleges that they even threatened to invoke the Goondas Act to force his staff into quitting if they continued working with him.
Balakrishnan claims he regularly paid bribes to AM Arjun, including ₹1.25 lakh for a liquor shop tender. Despite his compliance, he says his six shops were deliberately targeted, with officials threatening to shut them down. He alleges that this harassment took place publicly, in front of his office, humiliating him and tarnishing his reputation. According to him, while he was being squeezed for money, several unauthorized bars operated freely with the knowledge—and blessings—of the same officials.
He went on to describe the extent of unaccounted profits made from the liquor trade. The shop he worked at reportedly sold around 12,000 bottles daily, including quarter and half bottles, generating an excess revenue of ₹22,000 to ₹23,000 each day. He accused the TASMAC DM of pocketing this illegal income, collecting between ₹15 to ₹20 lakh per month from various shops, with the AM also taking a share. A man named JP was allegedly in charge of collecting these bribes and distributing them, not just in Trichy but across other districts like Tanjore, Pudukkottai, Villupuram, Perambalur, and Nagapattinam.
Balakrishnan also recounted an earlier incident where 150 liquor cases reportedly went missing from a TASMAC warehouse. According to him, the DM paid ₹3 lakh to cover part of the loss, while other TASMAC officials contributed the remaining ₹12 lakh. He questioned the fairness of this arrangement and suggested it pointed to deep-rooted corruption. He further claimed he paid a monthly bribe of ₹1.18 lakh to a police officer named Balakrishnan and said he had video proof of recent payoffs—including one taken that very morning near Velan Hospital, which he planned to send to his wife as evidence.
He described how his shops were raided for three consecutive days, with five cases threatened and two already filed. Three cases of liquor were seized, though he alleged only a few bottles were officially documented. His frustration was evident as he stated that those who work hard and follow rules are forced into suffering, while corrupt officials enjoy a life of luxury, shielded by their powerful connections. He concluded by lamenting that the real loss to TASMAC comes not from honest shopkeepers, but from the very officials who exploit the system.
This disturbing revelation has intensified scrutiny over TASMAC’s operations and reignited the opposition’s criticism of the DMK’s handling of the state-run liquor monopoly. Annamalai’s remarks have drawn sharp attention, with many demanding a full-scale investigation into the allegations raised in the video.
In the video the
Balakrishnan said,
“The persons responsible for my death are Trichy TASMAC’s DM, Accounts AM Arjun, PWD inspector Balakrishnan and PWD writer Aravind. They are the reason for my death. I was doing my business well without issues. They continuously demand ₹50,000 every month or else file case against me and intimidate me on continuing my business and cases as well intimidating my employees too warned the of Goondas act if they work for me. They keep intimidating me continuously. TASMAC accounts AM Arjun has been getting money from me always, I had been giving money always. I have been giving money every month. Besides this, he got ₹1.25 lakhs from me for a (TASMAC) tender. I gave him that money too. I did not demand money from anyone else. He deliberately keeps picking on my 6 shops and warned me of dire consequences saying he will issue closing order. He intimidating me in front of my office bringing me to streets. Both TASMAC DM and AM said this. I said take action against me, I would not oppose but there are many illegal bars operating and they get money from many illegal bars. The TASMAC shop I work in sees business of 15,000 bottles a day. Sorry, not 15,000 but 12,000 bottles per day. 2,000 number of quarters bottles, it does excess business of ₹17,000 per day adding beer and half bottles it does an excess of ₹22,000 to ₹23,000. The TASMAC DM owns all these excess income. He gets about ₹15 to ₹20 lakh per month this way from all the shops. The TASMAC AM also has a share in this, there is a person called JP allocated to collect the money as well. Apart from this, to the SRM, from all districts Trichy, Tanjore, Pudukkottai, Villupuram, Perambalur from all these districts including Nagapattinam they are collecting money like brokerage. The person JP is collecting all the money. Who is creating loss for TASMAC? is it them or us? Last time, Senthil Balaji (ex minister) took the (TASMAC) tender. He was the one who took tender all over we operated TASMAC shops on rental basis. I have paid tender amount even for bars that were closed. I have incurred huge loss, so much has been done before this too. Few days ago 150 cases of liquor was missing from TASMAC godown. The DM paid ₹3 lakh for the lost liquor. Other TASMAC officers paid the remaining ₹12 lakh was it correct and fair? If they claim what they do is correct then I earned through hard work, I give them bribe. To the police balakrishnan sir I gave ₹1.18 lakh every month as a bribe. They sucked the blood out of my hard work and lead a life seems to be dignified but I got money for interest and going through depression. They raided my shops for 3 days said they will file 5 cases against me and filed 2 cases already. They have confiscated 3 cases of liquor too for name sake they handed 4 or 5 bottles to us. I have video proof of him getting money from me. The PC got money from me this morning underneath Velan hospital and I have the video on my phone. I’ll send it to my wife take it as a proof. Apart from this there are many irregularities in TASMAC like DM, AM, JP, SRM. SRM gets money from all the districts the inspector also gets money. We who toil hard should die and these guys should live a luxurious life. You don’t know their net worth, we are working hard to bribe them but they doing such atrocities.”Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.