JOIN USAnother ex-AIADMK minister accused of possessing disproportionate assets
Close on the heels of two former AIADMK ministers being raided by the Directorate of Anti-Corruption and Vigilance (DVAC), an NGO on Tuesday submitted a complaint against ex-minister K C Veeramani of accumulating assets that are disproportionate to the known sources of income.
Arappor Iyakkam, the NGO which filed a slew of cases against S P Velumani who was raided last week, sent a 43-page complaint to the DVAC alleging that Veeramani and his family have acquired assets worth Rs 76.65 crore that is disproportionate to the known sources of income between 2011 and 2021.
Veeramani who held the Commercial Taxes and Registration portfolio from 2016 to 2021, was also a minister in the 2011-2016 AIADMK regime. He lost the 2021 polls from Jolarpet in Tiruppattur district in Tamil Nadu.
Addressing a press conference, Jayaram Venkatesan of Arappor Iyakkam alleged that Veeramani and his family members have has accumulated assets disproportionately to their known sources of income which is an offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and the amended Prevention of Corruption Act, 2018.
“What is also clear is that the former Minister has in a clearly premeditated, willful and planned manner committed various criminal offences such as fraud, misrepresentation, causing loss to the exchequer and unlawfully enriching himself and his family by misusing his official position and powers as Minister,” Venkatesan said.
Contending that the former minister’s income was around Rs 10 crore in 10 years as declared in his election affidavits, the NGO said he and his family members own assets worth Rs 76.65 crore.
“It should be stressed at this point that the above calculations are based on Registration Values and are based on conservative estimates. Only a
a full-fledged criminal investigation will reveal the actual and full value of the disproportionate assets of the former minister, which is expected to be much more than this,” Venkatesan said, demanding a detailed probe.
The allegations come at a time two former AIADMK ministers – M R Vijayabhaskar and Velumani – are facing a probe by the DVAC. The DMK, while in opposition, had submitted a huge list of corruption charges against half a dozen ministers. The party also promised to constitute a special court to try all such cases.