Tamil Nadu Minister Ponmudy questioned for over 13 hours, to appear before ED again today

Ponmudy has been accused of violating the Tamil Nadu Minor Mineral Concessions Act during his tenure as the minister of mines and minerals from 2006-11 in the previous DMK regime. He allegedly allocated a red sand quarry at Poothurai under the Vanur block in disregard of several provisions of the Act and the Mines and Minerals Act.

Speaking to the reporters, DMK spokesperson and advocate A Saravanan said the senior DMK leader was allowed to go home only at about 3.30 am and has been asked to appear at 4 pm again.

“The ED has been acting in an inhumane manner. He (Ponmudy) is 72 years old. He has been questioned since 10 am. He has medical issues as well. What could go wrong if the ED officials had asked him to appear in the morning for obtaining a statement?” asked Saravanan.

“They are carrying out an inquiry now for a case registered in 2007. What’s the logic behind this? I don’t know whether this is an ED office or a torture chamber,” he added.

The DMK spokesperson said Ponmudy cooperated with ED officials and claimed he is being targeted because he has been a staunch critic of Governor R N Ravi on various issues like the New Education Policy, and the appointment of vice-chancellors, among others.

“Without any official statement from the officials, few media reported some figures and claimed that incriminating documents were seized from Ponmudy’s residence. This is nothing but a tactic deployed to character assassinate the minister and the party,” he added.

The ED officials escorted by armed personnel of CRPF conducted raids at the premises of Ponmudy and Sigamani in Chennai and Villupuram Monday.

Ponmudy is the second minister in the M K Stalin-led cabinet to come under the radar of ED.

On June 14, former minister V Senthil Balaji was arrested by the agency in connection with a money laundering case. Balaji, who was undergoing treatment following heart surgery at a private hospital in the city, was shifted to the Puzhal prison Monday.

Leaders of the ruling DMK have been holding the BJP-led Union government responsible for the ED raids and claimed this a political vendetta.

Addressing reporters before leaving for Bengaluru to participate in the Opposition meeting on Monday, Stalin said the raids are conducted to divert the attention from the Opposition’s meeting and their party is not scared by these antics.

He added the Governor and ED are doing poll campaigns for them and they feel their election work will be much easier.