Two days after the CBI conducted a search operation on the premises of Tamil Nadu DGP T K Rajendran, Health Minister C Vijayabaskar and several top government officials in connection with the alleged gutkha scam, pressure is mounting on Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to seek the resignation of the high-profile accused.
Two days after the CBI conducted a search operation on the premises of Tamil Nadu DGP T K Rajendran, Health Minister C Vijayabaskar and several top government officials in connection with the alleged gutkha scam, pressure is mounting on Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to seek the resignation of the high-profile accused.
DMK president and Leader of Opposition in Assembly M K Stalin on Friday asked why the CBI hasn’t arrested minister Vijayabaskar and DGP Rajendran when those who allegedly paid the bribes have been arrested.
It is alleged that top ministers, police officers and revenue officials took bribes to allow the manufacture and sale of gutkha, banned in Tamil Nadu since 2013.
Followed by the raid Wednesday, the CBI arrested those who allegedly paid the bribes, proprietor of MDM gutkha company A V Madhava Rao and the company’s director Uma Shankar Gupta, and two government officials, state food safety and drug administration official Dr P Senthil Murugan and superintendent of central excise department N K Pandian.
Citing CBI raids in two dozen locations, including the residence of the minister and the DGP, Stalin said DGP Rajendran was at his home on September 5 when the CBI search was conducted. “He was under house arrest. On that day, Tamil Nadu did not have a working DGP. It was a shame ,” he said. Stalin also took on Governor Banwarilal Purohit and CM Palaniswami for being mute spectators and not taking any action against the minister and the DGP.
“The I-T department too has confirmed that money changed hands. Still, why hasn’t the CBI arrested these people?” Stalin asked.
With the DMK and other opposition parties demanding the resignation of the DGP and the minister, sources said the ruling party leadership cannot seek these resignations as it will lead to a “major casualty”.
“Neither the DGP nor Vijayabaskar are ready to resign in spite of a threat of being arrested. If the DGP resigns, Vijayabaskar, who is facing similar charges, will be forced to resign. If he resigns, his camp has already sent out a message to three others in the cabinet that he will take them along,” said a senior AIADMK leader.
DMK president and Leader of Opposition in Assembly M K Stalin on Friday asked why the CBI hasn’t arrested minister Vijayabaskar and DGP Rajendran when those who allegedly paid the bribes have been arrested.
It is alleged that top ministers, police officers and revenue officials took bribes to allow the manufacture and sale of gutkha, banned in Tamil Nadu since 2013.
Followed by the raid Wednesday, the CBI arrested those who allegedly paid the bribes, proprietor of MDM gutkha company A V Madhava Rao and the company’s director Uma Shankar Gupta, and two government officials, state food safety and drug administration official Dr P Senthil Murugan and superintendent of central excise department N K Pandian.
Citing CBI raids in two dozen locations, including the residence of the minister and the DGP, Stalin said DGP Rajendran was at his home on September 5 when the CBI search was conducted. “He was under house arrest. On that day, Tamil Nadu did not have a working DGP. It was a shame ,” he said. Stalin also took on Governor Banwarilal Purohit and CM Palaniswami for being mute spectators and not taking any action against the minister and the DGP.
“The I-T department too has confirmed that money changed hands. Still, why hasn’t the CBI arrested these people?” Stalin asked.
With the DMK and other opposition parties demanding the resignation of the DGP and the minister, sources said the ruling party leadership cannot seek these resignations as it will lead to a “major casualty”.
“Neither the DGP nor Vijayabaskar are ready to resign in spite of a threat of being arrested. If the DGP resigns, Vijayabaskar, who is facing similar charges, will be forced to resign. If he resigns, his camp has already sent out a message to three others in the cabinet that he will take them along,” said a senior AIADMK leader.