DMK Workers Clash With IT Officials During Raids At Premises Linked To TN Minister

Clashes broke out between IT officials and DMK workers during raids on premised linked to Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister and DMK leader Senthil Balaji.

Representative Image: IT Conducts Raids At Premises Of People Having Ties With Tamil Nadu's Electricity Minister

Source : PTI

A clash broke out between DMK workers and Income Tax (IT) officials during a raid at the premises of Tamil Nadu Minster Senthil Balaji's brother Ashok in the Karur district. Raids are being conducted across Tamil Nadu at around 40 locations at residences of government contractors and offices of those who have an alleged connection with the State Electricity & Prohibition and Excise Minister. Raids are being conducted at the moment in Chennai, Karur, and other places.

#WATCH | Clash breaks out between DMK workers and IT officials, who came to search the premises of Tamil Nadu Minister Senthil Balaji's brother Ashok, in Karur district. pic.twitter.com/D07qHz86c3

— ANI (@ANI) May 26, 2023

Balaji has been facing the heat after the Supreme Court allowed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to continue its probe against him in the cash-for-jobs scam in which he is accused of taking bribes to provide jobs when he was the transport minister (2011-2015) in the previous AIADMK government. He is also under the heat since the toll in the twin Hooch tragedies rose to 22. 

#WATCH | IT raids across Tamil Nadu in around 40 locations at various Government contractors' residences and offices who have alleged connection with Minister Senthil Balaji. Raids are currently underway in Chennai, Karur and other places. More details awaited: Sources

(Visuals… pic.twitter.com/vSM3gYYxiQ

— ANI (@ANI) May 26, 2023

Balaji had earlier said that he was being targeted for political reasons however he would still cooperate with the ED probe. A senior DMK leader while talking to the Hindustan Times asked, “He has not been found guilty and investigations are going on for which he is cooperating so why should he be removed?”

Supreme Court Overturns High Court's Verdict

The Supreme Court allowed the investigation against Tamil Nadu Electricity, Excise, and Prohibition Minister V. Senthil Balaji in the cash-for-job scam of 2011-15 by the police and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). According to IANS, a Supreme Court bench of Justices Krishna Murari and V Ramasubramanian said that an offense of corruption, criminal activity and the generation of the proceeds of crime are like Siamese twins.

"Even if an intangible property is derived as a result of criminal activity relating to a scheduled offense, it becomes proceeds of crime under Section 2(1)(u)... we are not impressed with the contention that the investigation by ED was triggered without any foundational/jurisdictional facts."

In an 89-page judgment on behalf of the bench, Justice Ramasubramanian said, In our view, the allegations in the FIR point out to (i) involvement of persons in criminal activity relating to scheduled offences; (ii) the generation as well as (iii) laundering of the proceeds of crime within the meaning of Section 3. This is in view of the fact that wherever there are allegations of corruption, there is the acquisition of proceeds of crime which itself tantamount to money-laundering."