Tamil Nadu: ED Searches Locations Linked To Ex-Minister Vaithilingam In Money Laundering Case

Last month, Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) registered a case against Vaithilingam, under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Vaithilingam, a former Rajya Sabha MP from 2016 and 2021, currently serves as the MLA representing the Orathanad constituency, having been elected in the 2021 state assembly elections.

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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday conducted multiple searches at locations connected to former AIADMK minister and current MLA R. Vaithilingam in connection with a money laundering investigation. The raids come in the wake of allegations of large-scale corruption during his tenure as the State Minister for Housing and Urban Development.

Last month, the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) registered a case against Vaithilingam under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The case pertains to an alleged bribe of Rs 27.90 crore that Vaithilingam is accused of receiving in 2016 to favor real estate developers when he was the then Minister, as per a report on Deccan Herald.

The case was initiated following a complaint by Jayaram Venkatraman, the convener of the anti-corruption NGO Arappor Iyyakam. Venkatraman's complaint detailed the alleged misuse of Vaithilingam’s position to provide undue benefits to real estate promoters. Based on the complaint, the government sanctioned the filing of an FIR, which also named Vaithilingam’s two sons, Prabhu and Shanmughaprabu, among 10 other accused individuals.

 

#WATCH | Tamil Nadu: The Enforcement Directorate is conducting searches at various locations in Chennai linked to former AIADMK minister and sitting MLA R. Vaithilingam in a money laundering case.

The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) last month had… https://t.co/EFzCnrKYat pic.twitter.com/FtDXYUOwCY

— ANI (@ANI) October 23, 2024

 

However, ED has not made any comments related to the ongoing search at the former Minister's residence.

Vaithilingam, a former Rajya Sabha MP from 2016 and 2021, currently serves as the MLA representing the Orathanad constituency, having been elected in the 2021 state assembly elections. On July 11, 2022, he, along with O. Panneerselvam, was expelled from the AIADMK as primary members by the party's General Council due to alleged "anti-party" activities.

He also held Housing, urban development and agriculture portfolios as a Minister from 2011 and 2016.