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the Implementation Directorate (ED) has alleged that it seized incriminating documents and money during searches related to the ten year old case against Tamil Nadu Minister for Higher Education K Ponmudy and his son and Kallakurichi MP Gautham Sigamani.
According to an ED statement on Tuesday, searches under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) were conducted at seven websites associated with Minister Ponmudi and MP Sigamani.
“Searches yielded several incriminating documents, cash amounting to Rs. 81.7 lakh, in foreign currency (GBP) equivalent to approximately Rs. 13 lakhs, and fixed deposits of Rs. 41.9 lakh were frozen.”
Searches of the residences and properties associated with the DMK leaders began Monday morning. They were called to the ED’s office in Chennai and questioned in the early hours of Tuesday, and then told to appear again on Tuesday evening.
According to the sources, Ponmudi allegedly violated the Tamil Nadu Minor Mineral Concessions Act during his tenure as Minister of Mines and Minerals for the period 2006-2011. He is alleged to have infrequently allocated a red sand quarry at Puthurai under the Fanoor Block in disregard of the provisions of the Act and the Mines and Minerals Act.
DMK leaders criticized the ED for questioning Ponmudy for more than 13 hours without regard to his age and health.
Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu MK Stalin, while in Bengaluru, contacted Ponmudi and confirmed DMK’s support. A statement from DMK said, “The Chief Minister told Ponmudi that the party will support him morally, politically and legally to oppose the political vendetta of the BJP-led union government.”
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