Ex-minister accused of 55% more wealth than income
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu former minister MR Vijayabaskar has been charged with earning 55% more than his known sources of income, according to a report readied by the state’s anti-corruption department.
Four teams of officers from the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-corruption (DVAC) had raided some 23 properties of Vijayabaskar, a prominent leader of the Anna DMK, which now sits in the opposition.
He had claimed assets worth Rs 25.1 million in the 2016 election nomination. It rose to Rs86.2 million in the 2021 election declaration.
Vijayabaskar, his wife Vijayalakshmi and brother Sekhar have been charged with embezzlement. Vijayabaskar, who was the transport minister during the previous government run by the ADMK, is facing a case in the Madras High Court alleging various irregularities and corruption in the transport sector at that time.
An investigation is under way into the contracts and tenders put in place during his tenure. Anticorruption police are also investigating whether the property was properly purchased.
The DAVC accused him of amassing wealth worth Rs 26.8 million, more than the likely savings during his tenure as the minister from 2016 to 2021, and acquiring eight properties through partnership firms worth Rs 80 million.
The extent of the disproportion was 55 per cent of the total income during the check period, the FIR said. He acquired eight companies in the name of the two partnership firms — M/s Rainbow Dyers at six different locations across Karur. Thse have been valued at over Rs29 million.
“It is nothing but political vendeta unleashed by the DMK government,” Vijayabaskar said in a statement on Saturday.
DAVC Sources said Rs2.55 million in cash was seized during raids conducted at his properties in Chennai and his base Karur.
He denied it. “Our atorneys have duly checked and provided all the necessary documents. No documents were seized from here. The personnel seized some cash, but we have proper documents for it as well. “None of my bank accounts have been frozen or none of the bank lockers are being inspected. Ater the election results, the DMK has been foisting cases against our functionaries, threatening them and forcing them to shit loyalties.
“I strongly condemn this. As per the decision of our party leadership, we are ready to face any case legally. It has been alleged that I own houses in Chennai and Karur. It is not true, I live in a rented house.
“The media has been reporting that I earned a lot of money in the recent times. But, I have been doing multiple businesses in Karur for the past 30 years, and many of them are aware of it.”