<p>Animal Husbandry Minister Anitha Radhakrishnan could well be the third DMK leader to come under the radar of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which on Wednesday knocked at the doors of a local court seeking its nod to assist the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-corruption (DVAC) in a disproportionate assets (DA) case pending against him.</p>.<p>The development comes even as the ED conducts raids on the premises connected to Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy and his MP-son Gautam Sigamani in a 11-year-old case. The ED had in June arrested V Senthil Balaji, who is now a minister without portfolio, in a money laundering case. Balaji is now in judicial custody. </p>.<p>At the Thoothukudi Principal District Court, the ED said it has collected “crucial evidence” against Radhakrishnan and would want to assist the DVAC in the case. On Wednesday, the ED’s Special Public Prosecutor N Ramesh said since the accused is a member of the Council of Ministers, the DVAC should handle the case with assistance from the ED. </p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/is-tamil-nadu-bjp-not-happy-with-governor-ravi-1238350.html">Is Tamil Nadu BJP not happy with Governor Ravi?</a></strong></p>.<p>However, the court posted the case for August 2 since the DVAC and the minister has filed separate affidavits in response to the ED’s petition and questioned the latter’s locus standi to “interfere” in an ongoing trial. The case was filed by the DMK government in 2006 against Radhakrishnan, who was a minister between 2001 and 2005 in the then Jayalalithaa government. </p>.<p>Radhakrishnan quit the AIADMK in 2010 and joined the DMK. </p>.<p>With the latest development, Radhakrishnan has become the third DMK minister to come under the scanner of the ED, which had attached properties worth several crores owned by the him and his family in 2022. </p>.<p>The DMK has alleged that the raids against its ministers is a “reflection of BJP’s nervousness” over Opposition parties coming together to take on the Narendra Modi Government. While responding to the ED raids on Ponmudy's premises, Stalin on Tuesday said, “you will see more such raids from the ED in Tamil Nadu.” </p>
<p>Animal Husbandry Minister Anitha Radhakrishnan could well be the third DMK leader to come under the radar of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which on Wednesday knocked at the doors of a local court seeking its nod to assist the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-corruption (DVAC) in a disproportionate assets (DA) case pending against him.</p>.<p>The development comes even as the ED conducts raids on the premises connected to Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy and his MP-son Gautam Sigamani in a 11-year-old case. The ED had in June arrested V Senthil Balaji, who is now a minister without portfolio, in a money laundering case. Balaji is now in judicial custody. </p>.<p>At the Thoothukudi Principal District Court, the ED said it has collected “crucial evidence” against Radhakrishnan and would want to assist the DVAC in the case. On Wednesday, the ED’s Special Public Prosecutor N Ramesh said since the accused is a member of the Council of Ministers, the DVAC should handle the case with assistance from the ED. </p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/is-tamil-nadu-bjp-not-happy-with-governor-ravi-1238350.html">Is Tamil Nadu BJP not happy with Governor Ravi?</a></strong></p>.<p>However, the court posted the case for August 2 since the DVAC and the minister has filed separate affidavits in response to the ED’s petition and questioned the latter’s locus standi to “interfere” in an ongoing trial. The case was filed by the DMK government in 2006 against Radhakrishnan, who was a minister between 2001 and 2005 in the then Jayalalithaa government. </p>.<p>Radhakrishnan quit the AIADMK in 2010 and joined the DMK. </p>.<p>With the latest development, Radhakrishnan has become the third DMK minister to come under the scanner of the ED, which had attached properties worth several crores owned by the him and his family in 2022. </p>.<p>The DMK has alleged that the raids against its ministers is a “reflection of BJP’s nervousness” over Opposition parties coming together to take on the Narendra Modi Government. While responding to the ED raids on Ponmudy's premises, Stalin on Tuesday said, “you will see more such raids from the ED in Tamil Nadu.” </p>
