Tamil Nadu govt moves SC against ED raids at TASMAC

The state government has challenged an April 23 order of the Madras High Court dismissing its pleas and one filed by Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) giving the go ahead for ED action.

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government has filed a plea in the Supreme Court questioning validity of the raids conducted during the probe by the Enforcement Directorate at the premises of its state-run liquor retailer Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC).

The Madras High Court had on April 23 dismissed the pleas, giving green signals for the ED's actions.

The HC allowed the central agency to proceed with its action under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

It had rejected the allegations made by TASMAC that its employees and officials were harassed by ED while conducting searches at the state agency's headquarters in Chennai.

The HC had said that it was a matter of procedure for employees to be detained during raids and surprise checks, to prevent the destruction of evidence. The allegations of violation of employees' fundamental rights appeared to be an afterthought, the court said.

Earlier on April 8, the Tamil Nadu government and state's marketing corporation TASMAC withdrew the pleas from the Supreme Court to transfer their petitions against the recent ED action from the Madras High Court to another high court.

Tamil Nadu government had on April 4 approached the apex court seeking transfer of its petition against the recent searches by ED on the state-run liquor retailer from the Madras HC to another HC outside the state.

The top court had on April 8 allowed TN govt and TASMAC to withdrew the pleas from it, dismissing them as withdrawn.