The TN BJP chief promised he would release details of DMK leaders' assets after being questioned about his limited-edition Dassault watch.
Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai on Friday released what he said were the “DMK Files” — detailing assets of 27 DMK leaders, including Chief Minister MK Stalin, his son and minister in Tamil Nadu government Udhayanidhi Stalin and his extended family, including Kalanithi and Dhayanidhi Maran.
As Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai on Thursday, 13 April, released details of assets of DMK leaders, the party in power in the state called it a “joke” and an effort to divert attention from the Hindenburg report and the irregularities it pointed out about the Adani Group.
Alleging that the assets were worth nearly ₹2.24 lakh crore and amassed by way of illicit income, Annamalai said that this was just the first part of the “DMK Files”, and the series would go on throughout the year.
Months ago, when the DMK leaders raised questions about the limited-edition Dassault wristwatch he was wearing, the irked former police officer said that he would be releasing his watch bill along with the asset details of DMK leaders on Tamil New Year: 14 April.
Releasing the “DMK Files” at the party headquarters Kamalalayam in Chennai, Annamalai alleged that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin was paid a bribe of ₹200 crore for election expenses in 2011 by a company that wanted to secure the contract for Chennai Metro Rail through a few shell companies in the United States.
He added that the company was probed for bribery and now he will approach the CBI to look into the transaction.
Explaining the way valuations are arrived at by computing the worth of assets, he also mentioned the details of assets many of the DMK leaders declared in their electoral affidavits.
Annamalai also stated that he only disclosed the direct assets, their shareholdings, and the valuation of the properties of the DMK ministers and hadn’t gone beyond it.
He said he would soon be releasing the next parts of the “DMK Files”, which would have details of the leaders’ Benami assets — those they bought but used the names of members of their family to register.
“The most concerning question is, how is the DMK becoming a part of the largest money-laundering business worldwide?” he asked.
He also said: “Not only the DMK, but I will expose the scams of all parties. I will reveal everything to the people. Let’s see who the Tamil Nadu people are going to vote for. This is a fight against corruption and not just our fight against one party. I will not stop here.”
Questioning the source of the income for Red Giant Movies, the film production and distribution company owned by Udhayanidhi Stalin, Annamalai stated that the production house made movies worth ₹300 crore during the 2006-11 regime, many of which were unsuccessful.
Annamalai also released the asset details of DMK leaders Kanimozhi, V Senthil Balaji, Durai Murugan, EV Velu, K Ponmudy, KN Nehru, TR Balu, K Ponmudi, S Jagathrakshakan, Arcot Veersamy, and Kalanidhi Veersamy.
Annamamali claimed that he brought the limited-edition wristwatch for ₹3 lakh from his Coimbatore-based friend Cheralathan on 27 May, 2021.
Though the BJP leader claimed that he gave no proof of payment for the purchase, he released the invoice of the purchase.
“This watch weighs like a brick stone and I have been wearing it since 2021. I’m not a person who changes wristwatches every month,” Annamalai said.
However, DMK Student Wing president Rajiv Gandhi took to Twitter to say that the serial number of the watch purchased by Cheralathan was BRO394EBl147, but the receipt released by Annamalai bore a different serial number.
ஏல 420 @annamalai_k ..
சேரலாதன் வாங்குனதா சொன்ன வாட்ச்-No BRO394EBl147
நீ அவரிடம் வாங்குனதா சொன்ன வாட்ச்-No BRO394DAR147
🤦🏽♂️🤦🏽♂️இதற்கு பேர்தான் பிராடுத்தனம்! pic.twitter.com/Nj5FCoDEtn
— R.Rajiv Gandhi ✨ (@rajiv_dmk) April 14, 2023
The controversy began when Tamil Nadu minister Senthil Balaji demanded from Annamalai the receipt of this expensive watch a few months ago, which provoked the latter to release the details of assets owned by DMK leaders.
Annamalai said: “I have expenses of ₹7-8 lakh every month. I manage with help from friends and the party. My house rent is paid by a friend. Others help with the salary for my staff. You can see my bank statement and credit card statement. It’s a challenge for a first-generation politician like me.”
Annamalai said that he would be starting his padayatra in the first week of June.
“We want to reflect the true vision of PM Modi on the welfare of the people. We are starting a yatra to expose all these DMK scams to the people. Each BJP cadre should participate in this yatra. Our party leaders will walk across Tamil Nadu,” said Annamalai.
நடக்க தயாரா?https://t.co/Lx5AImdlj1@EnMannEnMakkal pic.twitter.com/WIx8J6O8Zd
— K.Annamalai (மோடியின் குடும்பம்) (@annamalai_k) April 14, 2023
After the release of the “DMK Files”, Annamalai said that he would take questions on the issue only after a week, so that the journalists could verify the details he released.
Responding to the allegations in the “DMK Files”, party MP RS Bharathi said it was “a joke”.
Bharathi said that Annamalai was attempting to divert attention from the Hindenburg report on Adani, and the involvement of BJP leaders in the Arudhra scam.
“All our leaders will move the court for this defamation, and Annamalai will have to keep appearing in court,” Bharathi said.
He also asked that if money was laundered, what was the CBI, which is under the direct control of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, doing till now?
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