Seized asset, investment documents after raids against TN minister Periyasamy, family: ED

New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday said it has seized documents related to properties and investments following recent raids against Tamil Nadu minister and DMK leader I Periyasamy and his family.

The federal probe agency had launched searches in Chennai and Dindigul on August 16 against the minister for rural development and panchayat raj, his MLA son I P Senthil Kumar, daughter Indra and some companies allegedly linked to him.

Periyasamy, 72, represents the Athoor assembly seat in Dindigul while his son Senthil Kumar is an MLA from the Palani constituency.

The search action resulted in "seizure" of documents relating to properties/investments from the residences of Senthil Kumar, Indra and the office premises of Irulappa Mills India, in which Periyasamy and his younger son P Prabhu are the directors, the ED said in a statement.

The search team also found certain "paper" (dummy) companies being operated from the premises of Irulappa Mills India, it claimed.

"The accounts of the said companies are being verified. The digital devices seized are also being analysed," the statement said.

The money laundering investigation stems from a disproportionate assets case registered by the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) against Periyasamy and his family.

The ED said the offences invoked in the chargesheet (filed by DVAC) are scheduled offences under the PMLA.

According to the chargesheet filed by DVAC, Periyasamy and his family were "in possession of" disproportionate assets to the tune of about Rs 2 crore.

It is alleged in the chargesheet that Periyasamy generated the "disproportionate" assets when he was the minister for revenue and prisons, the ED said.

A special court in Dindigul had discharged Periyasamy and his family. However, on appeal by the DVAC, the Madras High Court in April set aside the discharge order and directed the special court to conduct a trial and complete it within six months.

The ED said, however, the Supreme Court has stayed the trial before the special court during a hearing held on Monday.

The ruling DMK has strongly defended Periyasamy, saying the ED action was an attempt to divert attention from "vote chori", a term coined by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over alleged electoral fraud in the 2024 elections that the BJP-led NDA won.

The ED statement said further investigation in the case was "under progress". PTI NES KSS KSS