CHENNAI: State BJP president K Annamalai on Tuesday challenged the DMK and its organising secretary R S Bharathi to arrest him if they have evidence to prove that he had blackmailed and extorted money from ministers during the previous AIADMK regime.
“I give them six hours. Now the time is 12.15 pm. If they have guts, let them come to Kamalalayam and arrest me. If they have evidence (of blackmailing and extortion) against me, let them telecast it on their news channel. If you (DMK government) don’t arrest me, people of this state will not believe you henceforth,” said Annamalai at the party headquarters.
Annamalai was responding to Bharathi’s charge that the BJP leader had blackmailed and extorted money from former ministers by threatening to unleash Central agencies against them when the AIADMK was in power. Bharathi has also issued a legal notice to Annamalai demanding damages for dubbing chief minister M K Stalin’s Dubai visit as a family outing and alleging that there were irregularities in Tangedco awarding a thermal power project to BGR Energy.
Annamalai said BGR has also served a legal notice on him. In all, BGR has demanded damages to the tune of 610 crore, he said. “I am not worth 610 crore. I have just two goats, a couple of buffaloes, and a pair of boxes (tappa). I am ready to face the issue legally,” said Annamalai, adding that the DMK and BGR were adopting pressure tactics to silence him.
He said he was ready to face even 1,000 cases, but would not succumb to pressure.
Raising Stalin’s family members’ visit to Dubai once again, he said the CM’s family members had visited Dubai in February as well in a chartered flight. They were accompanied by the family chartered accountant, he said. They had met some of the investors during that visit. “What is the role of CM’s family members, especially his son-in-law V Sabareesan, in crucial meetings between the CM and investors?” he asked.
