BJP Tamil Nadu chief Annamalai, party leaders detained ahead of protest over TASMAC 'scam'

Chennai: Scores of Tamil Nadu BJP leaders, including state unit chief K Annamalai, were arrested by the Chennai Police on Monday morning, hours before they were to hold a protest outside the headquarters of Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) against the financial irregularities in the state-run liquor retailer.

The protest by the BJP was announced on March 13 hours after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said it has unearthed documents to show that distilleries have siphoned off over Rs 1,000 crore in unaccounted cash which they used as kickbacks to secure “increased supply orders” from TASMAC, which has a monopoly over liquor sales in the state.

However, Annamalai, and senior leaders of the party, including former Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, and former Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan, were arrested while they were on their way to attend the protest.

Though it was a common practice to release the arrested leaders at 5 pm, the BJP functionaries were let out only after 7 pm. “Who ordered our detention beyond 5 pm?” Tamilisai was seen asking policemen.

“The autocratic DMK government thinks that by using the state police department, it has curtailed our protest against the Rs 1000 crore liquor scam by arresting our leaders, functionaries and cadres. People of TN know that the number 1 accused in the TASMAC liquor scam is Chief Minister M K Stalin,” Annamalai said.

“We will continue to protest against this corrupt, tyrannical DMK government. How long will you keep arresting us?” he asked.

The state BJP chief also said the party will protest against the irregularities in TASMAC in the coming days but didn’t reveal the venue. “It could even be outside the Chief Minister’s residence,” he added.

BJP allies TMC and AMMK condemned the arrest of BJP leaders and warned the DMK that its days were numbered.

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The ED said it was a well-orchestrated scheme of unaccounted cash generation and illicit payments has been uncovered with proof revealing that distilleries systematically inflated expenses and fabricated bogus purchases, particularly through bottle-making companies, to siphon off over Rs. 1,000 crore in unaccounted cash.

“These funds were then used for kickbacks to secure increased supply orders from TASMAC. Bottling companies played a critical role in this fraudulent scheme by inflating sales figures, allowing distilleries to route excess payments, which were later withdrawn in cash and returned after deducting commissions,” the statement had added.

However, the Tamil Nadu government rejected the charges levelled by the ED and said it would move the courts to challenge the agency’s allegations.