Tamil Nadu Minister for Housing, Prohibition, and Excise S Muthusamy has strongly condemned the ED’s actions, calling them a politically motivated attempt to malign the DMK government.
Published May 17, 2025 | 2:50 PM ⚊ Updated May 17, 2025 | 2:50 PM
Reports said print outs of WhatsApp messages were found near Visakan's residence.
Synopsis: A day after summoning TASMAC MD S Visakan for questioning, the ED, on Saturday, searched his residence and the premises of a few other entities and individuals.
Intensifying its probe into the alleged financial irregularities in the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday, 17 May, conducted searches at multiple locations, including the residence of IAS officer S Visakan.
The ED had questioned TASMAC’s Managing Director, Visakan, at its office in Nungabakkam for over five hours on Friday, 16 May. The interrogation continued on Saturday.
Besides Visakan’s official residence at CR Puram, the ED searched the premises of several private entities and individuals. The SNJ Group’s office at Choolaimedu, the residence of film producer Akash Baskaran at Teynampet, and that of businessman Devakumar at Triplicane were among the premises searched.
Investigators reportedly quizzed Visakan on matters ranging from liquor procurement to the alleged preferential awarding of orders to certain liquor manufacturers.
During the searches, ED officials reportedly came across torn and discarded printouts of WhatsApp chat screenshots near Visakan’s residence. Some of the messages reportedly began with phrases like “Dear brother” and contained information related to TASMAC tenders. The ED did not officially comment on the reports.
These raids follow a previous round of ED searches at the TASMAC headquarters in Chennai from 6 to 8 March. In a subsequent report, the agency alleged irregularities amounting to ₹1,000 crore in the procurement of liquor, granting of bar licences, and transportation tenders.
Tamil Nadu government and TASMAC had earlier moved the Madras High Court seeking to declare the ED’s search as illegal. The court, however, dismissed the plea and granted the agency full permission to proceed with its investigation. The Tamil Nadu government has since challenged the High Court order in the Supreme Court.
Tamil Nadu Minister for Housing, Prohibition, and Excise S Muthusamy has strongly condemned the ED’s actions, calling them a politically motivated attempt to malign the DMK government.
In a statement, Muthusamy said the ED had relied on cases filed during the previous AIADMK regime to paint a picture of corruption under the current administration.
“Despite finding no concrete evidence during the March raids at TASMAC’s headquarters, the ED released a baseless report claiming a ₹1,000 crore scam,” he said.
He further alleged that the agency was “harassing and coercing government officials” to justify its earlier claims. “Even in the latest round of searches, no substantive evidence has been unearthed,” he added.
Condemning what he described as politically driven “acts of retribution,” the minister asserted that the Tamil Nadu government would take all necessary legal measures to defend its officials.
“We stand firmly with our officers and will challenge these actions through appropriate legal channels,” he said.
The political heat around the TASMAC probe is likely to escalate as the case moves to the Supreme Court and the ED expands its investigation.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
