The heat, it seems, has been turned on the DMK just a day after its President M Karunanidhi announced his decision to pull out of the UPA government over the Sri Lankan Tamil issue.
The CBI reportedly raided DMK chief M Karunanidhi’s son MK Stalin’s house in Chennai today.
The raids are in connection with the alleged illegal import of cars in Chennai and several other cities. The searches are being conducted on the basis of a complaint by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, say reports.
One of the illegally imported cars is allegedly being used by Stalin’s son, reports said.
Stalin said that the CBI action is a ‘political vendetta’. “We will face the case legally. I am unaware of the reasons for the CBI raid,” he said.
The timing of the raids, which effectively seems like a thinly veiled threat, appears to point to the usual Congress stratagem of turning the screws on regional leaders in order to secure political support for its survival at the Centre.
Reacting to the report, DMK MP TR Baalu said, “It is simply a political move.”
The DMK had withdrawn from the UPA on Tuesday demanding the government should get a resolution passed by Parliament against Sri Lanka. Following the pullout of their party, five Union ministers of the DMK – MK Alagiri, SS Palanimackam, S Gandhiselvan, S Jagatrakshakan and D Napolean – submitted their resignations to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday, which were accepted and later sent to President Pranab Mukherjee.
Meanwhile media stories have suggested that Karunanidhi’s daughter Kanimozhi, who is one of the accused in the 2G spectrum case, may face another jail term – and even see her properties attached – if they file a chargesheet against her under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. More on that here.
The Indian Express reports, quoting unidentified ED officials, that the chargesheet against Kanimozhi and A Raja is being drafted and will likely be filed early next month. (First Post)