The sleuths of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on Thursday, September 16, conducted raids at 28 places associated with former AIADMK Minister and Jholarpet MLA KC Veeramani. The DVAC officials who held the raid on Thursday said that they are looking into the period between April 1, 2016 and March 31, 2021.
KC Veeramani, the AIADMK leader was a Minister of Schools, Education, Archeology, Sports and Youth Welfare as well as Tamil language and Culture from 2013 to 2016. In AIADMK’s second term in office, Veeramani was Minister for Commercial taxes and Registration Department.
During the raids, sources said that the DVAC has unearthed several documents related to the former minister's growth in assets since 2016. The agency has registered an FIR stating that the former minister has acquired assets worth Rs 28 crore that were not accounted for.
The FIR said, "KC Veeramani was involved in corrupt activities and had intentionally enriched him illicitly and acquired properties and pecuniary resources in his name which are disproportionate to his known sources of income."
This raid comes after searches were conducted at the offices and premises of former AIADMK ministers MR Vijayabhaskar in July and SP Velumani in August this year. The DVAC officials held raids at 21 properties of MR Vijayabhaskar who was a Transport Minister in the previous AIADMK regime. While officials raided 60 locations relating to former minister of Municipal Administration SP Velumani.
With the DVAC conducting raids on the premises of the third AIADMK leader, allegations of politics of vendetta and vindictiveness that had been in practice in Tamil Nadu during the days of M Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa have surfaced.
The Kodanad murder and heist case is another major hindrance that the AIADMK has to face as there are reports on the former Chief Minister K. Palaniswami being targeted in the case. The AIADMK had already lashed out stating that the DMK was practicing vengeance against their (AIADMK) leaders.
With IANS Inputs