Tamil Nadu: DMK Minister Ponmudy Meets CM Stalin After ED Raids

Senior Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) minister K Ponmudy today (19 July) met Chief Minister MK Stalin at his residence after the completion of raids and two rounds of questioning by Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials.

He is believed to have briefed Chief Minister Stalin about the investigation.

The meeting comes a day after Stalin spoke to him over the phone from Bangalore and assured him of full support from the party.

The ED raids are believed to be in connection with the case against Ponmudy for misusing his power during his tenure as Mining Minister to grant quarrying permits for red sand to his son P Gautham Sigamani and others at Poothurai village in Vanur block of Villupuram district.

The police filed the case based on the complaint of Vanur Tahsildar alleging that lessees excavated beyond permissible limits and thereby illegally prospected 2,46,646 units of red sand, causing a loss of Rs 28.37 crore to the state exchequer.

According to some political commentators, while the party and the Chief Minister were quick to call the raids as political vendetta and a tactic to divert attention from the opposition meeting, the response has not been as vociferous as the one seen after the raids on minister Senthil Balaji.

Chief Minister Stalin had then visited Balaji in the hospital and warned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the centre not to provoke the DMK.

Also Read: '81.7 Lakh Cash, British Pounds Worth 13 Lakh Seized And Fixed Deposits Of 41.9 Crore Frozen', Says ED After Raids At Ponmudy's Premises