After training its guns on T.N. Ministers V. Senthilbalaji, who is presently in Puzhal jail, and Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy recently, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday insisted on assisting the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC) in a disproportionate assets case pending against Fisheries Minister Anitha R. Radhakrishnan.
Appearing before the Thoothukudi Principal District Court, Special Public Prosecutor for the ED, N. Ramesh, said that the prime accused person was a sitting Minister in the T.N. Cabinet and therefore, “the situation should not create even a shadow of public distrust in the handling of prosecution by the State agency.”
However, since the DVAC and the accused persons (including the Minister and his family members) had filed separate counter affidavits to the ED’s petition and questioned the latter’s locus standi to “interfere” in the ongoing trial, the Principal District Judge decided to hear all the parties on the ED’s plea on August 2.
