New Delhi: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on Tuesday conducted searches at seven locations connected to Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy and his son Lok Sabha MP Gautam Sigamani. The raids were conducted in connection with a money laundering case linked to alleged illegal sand mining.
During the searches, the ED seized cash amounting to Rs. 81.7 lakhs, foreign currency (British pounds) equivalent to approx. Rs. 13 lakhs and various incriminating documents. A fixed deposit of Rs 41.9 crore was also frozen, the agency said.
The father-son duo appeared before the ED today for the second day of enquiry.
The central agency had earlier initiated searches on the premises of the DMK leader and his MP son Gautham Sigamani for nearly 10 hours on July 17. The agency also conducted an inquiry at its office late on Monday night.
Both had left the ED office in the wee hours of Tuesday even as they were summoned to appear again later in the day. After almost an overnight questioning by the ED officials, both Ponmudy and Gautham Sigamani were allowed to go home at about 3.30 am on Tuesday.
DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin spoke to his cabinet colleague and assured him of the ruling party's total support in countering the BJP's "political vendetta."
“Stalin, president of the ruling DMK, spoke to Ponmudy over the phone and sought details of the ED probe,” an official release here said. He asked Ponmudy to face it bravely and legally.
"The chief minister told Ponmudy the party (DMK) will support (him) morally, politically and legally to oppose and break the political vendetta of the Union BJP government," it added.
The ED teams were escorted by armed personnel of the CRPF and they made some seizures of documents. The minister is an MLA from the Tirukkoyilur Assembly seat in Villupuram district while his 49-year-old son Sigamani is a Member of Parliament representing the Kallakurichi seat.