Stalin backs Ponmudy as ED summons TN minister for second round of questioning

Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy and his son who left the Enforcement Directorate office in the wee hours of Tuesday (July 18) after a gruelling eight hours of questioning in a money laundering case linked to alleged illegal sand mining, have been summoned to appear at the agency’s office in the evening again.

“After almost an overnight enquiry by the ED officials, both Ponmudy and his MP son Gautham Sigamani were allowed to go home at about 3.30 am today and asked to appear before the ED officials at 4 pm today for further enquiry,” DMK spokesperson and advocate A Saravanan said.

Saravanan said the minister has fully cooperated with the central agency while questioning the necessity to put a 72-year-old minister to an overnight ordeal merely for obtaining a statement.

“Nothing would have happened if the ED officials had asked him to appear in the morning for obtain the statement,” he said.

CM Stalin offers Ponmudy ‘total support’

DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday (July 18) spoke to his cabinet colleague K Ponmudy, being probed by the Enforcement Directorate and assured him the ruling party’s total support in countering the BJP’s “political vendetta.”

Stalin, president of the ruling DMK, spoke to Ponmudy over the phone and sought details of the ED probe, an official release in Chennai said. He asked Ponmudy to face it bravely and legally.

“The chief minister told Ponmudy that the party (DMK) will support (him) morally, politically, and legally to oppose and break the political vendetta of the Union BJP government,” it added.

Also read: ‘ED has joined poll campaign’: Stalin on raids at minister Ponmudy’s property

Political vendetta, says DMK

The raids were held at the premises of Ponmudy and his son in state capital Chennai and in the minister’s stronghold of Villupuram. The ruling DMK dubbed the action as “political vendetta.”

The ED teams were escorted by armed personnel of the CRPF and they made some seizures of documents. The minister is an MLA from the Tirukkoyilur Assembly seat in Villupuram district, while his 49-year old son Sigamani is an MP representing the Kallakurichi seat.

Saravanan told reporters that no unaccounted cash or any incriminating documents were seized from the minister as being claimed. He also sought to know if the central agency has issued any press statement regarding the seizure.

“What’s the logic in inquiring into a case 13 years after it was registered? This is nothing but a political vendetta by the BJP government because Ponmudy took on Governor RN Ravi on the new education policy, appointment of vice chancellors, and other key issues,” he added.

Tamil Nadu BJP vice president Narayanan Tirupathy, however, claimed that the minister was not arrested as his colleague V Senthil Balaji was, because Ponmudy cooperated.

(With inputs from agencies)