TASMAC case: Two associates of ex-minister Senthil Balaji arrested
DVAC arrests two Karur-based accused in first major action after FIR against former minister, ex-TASMAC MD, and others over alleged corruption in the state-run liquor retailer
Chennai, Jul 31 (PTI) Two persons, identified as associates of former Tamil Nadu Minister and DMK leader V Senthil Balaji, have been arrested by the vigilance sleuths in connection with alleged irregularities involving the state-run liquor retailer TASMAC, police said on Friday.
Karthik and his associate Ramesh, both hailing from Karur district, were arrested on July 30. They were produced before the Principal Judge, Principal Session Court, City Civil Court in Chennai, and remanded in judicial custody, according to officials.
The arrests are the first major action following the registration of FIR on July 28 against Balaji, who formerly held the Electricity, Prohibition and Excise portfolios, and former TASMAC Managing Director S Visakan, an IAS officer.
According to the anti-graft agency, a discreet enquiry was initiated based on enclosures received from the government. The enquiry revealed prima facie evidence of the commission of cognizable offences, leading to the registration of the case at the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) headquarters.
The FIR also names TASMAC officials Rama Durai Murugan and Panneer Selvam, Personal Assistant Bhaskar, and another private individual, Rathesh. Various distillery and brewery companies, transport firms, bottling companies, and other unknown public servants of TASMAC have also been included as accused.
The accused have been booked under different sections of the IPC, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023; and relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018). PTI