Just days ahead of the October 6 by-elections, the DMK found itself facing a series of fresh challenges on October 1, with arrests, FIRs and an ED probe involving party functionaries and leaders adding to the political heat.
DMK functionary Ramkumar was arrested in the Srirangam temple land fraud case; police slapped the Goondas Act on Gem Granite Veeramani and two accomplices; police registered an FIR against DMK Rajya Sabha MP S Kalyanasundaram; and the ED launched a probe into a Rs 100-crore corruption case against former School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi after the Central Crime Branch police filed an FIR.
Tamil Nadu Police arrested DMK Srirangam Area Secretary N Ramkumar on October 1, soon after the Madras High Court dismissed his anticipatory bail petition, in connection with a Rs 50-crore Srirangam Temple fraud case. Police arrested five others, including a Sub-Registrar, in this connection.
Ramkumar, as per the charges, used forged documents to illegally register 7,515 sq ft of land belonging to the temple in his own name.
Tamil Nadu Police registered an FIR against Rajya Sabha DMK MP S Kalyanasundaram under the violence against women. He is an Independent Director and the longtime Chairman of the Kumbakonam Mutual Benefit Fund Nidhi Limited (KMBF). A clash broke out between DMK and TVK men when Sridevi of TVK and others went to file nominations to contest the election for the Board of Directors.
The term of the Board of Directors had expired and elections to elect new directors were called for under the e-voting mode. It is learnt that Kalyanasundaram, Velappan and Anbazhagan, all from the DMK, have won the election.
On September 10, when Sridevi visited the head office to file her nomination, she was allegedly prevented by DMK men. Directors, officials and others present there allegedly used abusive language against TVK women and men who went to file the nominations.
The nominations of Sridevi, Anjana, Muruganandam, Vijay Chandran and Santhosh of TVK were reportedly rejected by the poll committee. Sridevi and others lodged a complaint with Kumbakonam East Police Station.
Based on the complaint, police booked cases against Kalyanasundaram, former MP Ramalingam, Anbazhagan and two more under the violence against women Act and other sections, besides arresting KMBF MD Velappan, General Manager Karunanidhi and five others.
Tamil Nadu Police have booked Gem Granite Veeramani and two of his accomplices under the Goondas Act.
Based on a police recommendation, Chennai Police Commissioner Amalraj ordered their detention under the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act, commonly known as the Goondas Act, citing their alleged involvement in offences that could affect public order.
Police arrested Veeramani, his ex-aide Ganesan, and Mahendra Simhan, and Shanti, an ex-survivor of sexual assaults by Veeramani, were arrested in connection with a POCSO case. The case is now being probed by a Special Investigation Team of Tamil Nadu Police. The HC dismissed a petition seeking a CBI probe. Top police officers were involved and were paid in crores by Veeramani to close the case during the DMK regime.
Veeramani comes from a DMK family. His is a rags-to-riches story. An ordinary, mediocre lawyer, while appearing for employees of a granite stone company, learnt the trade secrets and became a top-notch exporter and was in all bodies related to it, both Central and State-related ones.
Veeramani is charged with sexually assaulting young teens below 14, mostly from SC communities, for sexual perversions. Reportedly, one of the girls committed suicide after meeting him. He had rented a house for his sexcapades.
Shanti, it is alleged, brought poor girls with single parents, assuring them of financial help to continue their education, and cell phones, dresses, etc.
There are three cases now filed against Veeramani. The accused are in judicial custody. The HC restrained the media from conducting a probe and sharing videos of the paedophile Veeramani featuring victims.
During the DMK regime, despite an NGO complaining to police with a pen drive, the then police team is allegedly filed a closure report in a short time, saying there was nothing to continue to probe.
Veeramani was arrested on August 29. Considering his age, police questioned him inside Puzhal Jail under video recording by the CCB team. Police identified seven more minor girls as victims. Veeramani was slapped with the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, following the identification of all victims as being from the SC community.
Another accused, Ganesan, 45, a former employee of Gem Granites, was arrested earlier in the case and is currently in judicial custody. The SIT has completed recording key statements and is likely to file the chargesheet in the first POCSO case within 10 days.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a case and launched an investigation into the alleged Rs 100-crore scam involving regulatory approvals for private schools during the DMK-led government in Tamil Nadu.
Veeramani is alleged to have told the interrogators that he sold properties worth Rs 150 crores, half of the amount to pay off the police and others to shut the case.
Southern Railway Mazdoor Union (SRMU) long-serving General Secretary N Kannaiah’s son Prakash, against whom police issued a Look Out Circular, is reportedly abroad. Veeramani said that through Prakash, gold bars were bribed to police officers as they feared cash would expose them.
On September 29, the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the Greater Chennai Police conducted searches at five locations in Chennai in connection with the alleged multi-crore fraud involving former School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi and his associates for granting approvals to private schools.
The case followed Elangovan, secretary of the Federation of Private School Associations, who alleged that money was collected from private school managements in return for permanent institutional recognition, upgradation of schools, Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) approvals, and other key government permissions.
Madras High Court later quashed the Goondas Act detention order, and Arasakumar was granted conditional bail after State Police failed to file a chargesheet within the statutory 90-day window.
On September 16, searches were conducted at premises linked to Poyyamozhi and his associates, Valadi Karthik and Arun Prakash. The raids reportedly led to the seizure of 118 crucial documents, including real estate property records, bank account details, signed cheques and electronic devices.
