Several Opposition leaders condemned the Enforcement Directorate (ED) searches in opposition to Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji, slamming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) misusing central businesses.
Tamil Nadu CM and DMK chief MK Stalin stated the BJP management is enacting “politics of intimidation”. BJP’s bid to intimidate by way of backdoor ways like ED raids gained’t work, he stated.
“It doesn’t matter on whom the raid was performed, nevertheless it issues the place the raid was carried out. Union Home Minister has severely criticised DMK in a public assembly in Vellore, and we gave correct counter-argument to all of the allegations. Conducting a raid within the Secretariat is in opposition to the federal construction,” Stalin stated.
ED Searches Premises Linked to Tamil Nadu Minister: Who Is Senthil Balaji And What’s The Case? | EXPLAINED
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge stated such gross misuse of investigation businesses in opposition to political opponents has been the hallmark of the BJP-led authorities. Condemning the ED searches, Kharge stated these ways is not going to achieve silencing the Opposition.
Statement issued by Congress President Shri Mallikarjun Kharge @kharge condemning the blatant misuse of the ED in looking out the workplace of Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister Thiru V. Senthil Balaji. pic.twitter.com/h6o2MzinqN— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) June 13, 2023
With the raids on Senthil Balaji’s workplace, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar stated the ED has now ventured to the southern states with its sinister motive to crush the voice in opposition to an “undemocratic” Central Government.
I strongly condemn ED’s incessant actions in opposition to the Ministers of Govts dominated by Opposition Parties. With the raids on Senthil Balaji’s workplace, ED has now ventured to the southern states with its sinister motive to crush the voice in opposition to undemocratic Central Government.— Sharad Pawar (@PawarSpeaks) June 13, 2023
Reacting to searches, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal stated the BJP’s misuse of central businesses to harass and intimidate the opposition continues unabated.
BJP’s misuse of central businesses to harass and intimidate the opposition continues unabated. Strongly condemn the ED raids in opposition to Thiru V Senthil Balaji, Tamil Nadu’s Electricity Minister.Blinded by political vendetta, the BJP is inflicting irreversible injury to our democracy.
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 13, 2023
West Bengal CM and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee stated ED raids on the minister’s workplace contained in the state secretariat are unacceptable.
I condemn the political vendetta by BJP in opposition to DMK @arivalayam at present. Misuse of central businesses continues. ED raids in Tamil Nadu at workplace of Minister for Prohibition and Excise on the state secretariat and his official residence are unacceptable. Desperate acts by BJP.— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) June 13, 2023
CPI(M) chief Sitaram Yechury condemned the ED raids on the workplace of Tamil Nadu Minister.
Strongly condemn the ED raids on the workplace of Tamilnadu Minister for Prohibition & Excise Thiru Senthilbalaji within the State Secretariat at Chennai.Modi govt has weaponised the ED concentrating on opposition leaders.— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) June 13, 2023
The Minister, a DMK strongman from Karur district, stated he was not conscious of what the officers had come looking out for at his premises and guaranteed to increase complete cooperation within the probe.
The ruling DMK hit out on the ED raids and termed it as an try and ‘divert’ consideration from the continuing disagreement between NDA constituents BJP and the AIADMK.
Senior DMK chief and its Organisation Secretary R S Bharathi stated the celebration has seen many such raids however no expenses have been proved in opposition to its leaders prior to now. They have been an try and defame the celebration, he alleged.
The raids have been being carried out at Balaji’s premises in state capital Chennai and his native Karur. Besides these, ED officers additionally searched the home of a Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) lorry contractor in Erode district. State-run TASMAC is the retailer of liquor in Tamil Nadu.
Balaji additionally holds the Prohibition and Excise portfolio.
The Supreme Court had earlier allowed police and ED probe into an alleged cash-for-jobs rip-off in opposition to Balaji, who was earlier with the AIADMK. He was Transport Minister within the late Jayalalithaa-led Cabinet.
The ED performed the searches below the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the sources stated.
Last month, the Income Tax division too had searched individuals near Balaji within the state.
Responding to the ED searches at present, Balaji stated he was “prepared to increase full cooperation” to the investigating company.
“With what intention have they arrive, what are they trying for, we’ll see. Let it recover from,” he informed reporters quickly after the sleuths began the searches.
Whether or not it’s the IT or ED, Balaji assured full cooperation for the authorities involved, including no matter clarification sought by officers based mostly on paperwork, shall be supplied.
The Minister, who went for a morning stroll, stated he took a taxi again house after receiving a message in regards to the raids on his premises.
The ED officers have been accompanied by central paramilitary personnel in the course of the raids. Last month, Income Tax officers have been allegedly attacked in Karur after they went to conduct searches at some locations linked to Balaji.
(With PTI inputs)
