The BJP had announced a picketing protest of the TASMAC headquarters over the alleged ₹1,000 crore irregularities, as claimed by the Enforcement Directorate recently.
Annamalai lashed out at the ruling DMK and its party president and Chief Minister MK Stalin, alleging the “rupee symbol and budget drama” was an attempt to divert attention from the recent ED raids at Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC), besides other entities.
#WATCH | Chennai, Tamil Nadu: Police detain BJP workers protesting over the alleged TASMAC scam in state
Earlier police detained BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan from her residence. https://t.co/Q1jGFHqPFY pic.twitter.com/wqPdyvF26w
— ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2025
Heavy force was deployed outside Soundararajan’s residence. “In a country, everyone has the right to protest against anything…The ED has revealed that there have been ₹1,000 crore irregularities in TASMAC…And in this regard, we have announced a peaceful agitation…But they have surrounded us…We don’t fear such type of custody…We will fight for the people…”
Senior BJP leaders including H Raja, BJP Mahila Morcha chief and Coimbatore South MLA Vanathi Srinivasan, the party’s Modakurichi legislator Dr C Saraswathi and functionaries including Vinoj P Selvam and Amar Prasad Reddy were detained.
Lashing out at CM Stalin, Annamalai said, “I charge that their symbol drama, budget drama was all aimed at diverting attention from ED raids.”
The ED had earlier said it found “multiple irregularities” in the operations of TASMAC, including “manipulation” in the tender processes and “unaccounted” cash transactions worth ₹1,000 crore through distillery companies.
The ED had claimed it got ‘evidence’ suggesting these corrupt practices after it raided the employees, corporate offices of distilleries and plants of TASMAC on March 6.
There were ‘kickbacks’ involved, it had claimed.
With inputs from PTI
