Will legally face charges, being targeted to defame me, says TN Minister Nehru on ED case

Chennai, Dec 9 (PTI) Tamil Nadu Minister K N Nehru has claimed that he was being continuously targeted by the ED in a bid to defame him and said that he would legally face the charges.

Responding to the allegation of Rs 1,020 crore bribery and tender fixing scam in the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department, a portfolio that he holds, Nehru condemned the ED and alleged that it joined the ranks of the opposition parties that cannot tolerate the achievements of the DMK and hence was "continuously targeting" to "defame" him.

"I will face it as per law. It is condemnable that the Enforcement Department has joined the ranks of the opposition parties that cannot tolerate the achievements of the DMK government and is continuously targeting me and defaming me," the minister said in a statement here on Monday.

During the last 5 years, 24,752 km of roads have been laid through his department and projects to provide safe drinking water to over 1.22 crore people were implemented. Additional projects were underway to extend the protected water supply to another 77.28 lakh people.

Civic improvement works, including creating 1,762 public parks across municipalities, town panchayats and corporations were carried out and 158 new bus stands were constructed throughout the state. About 1,519 km of stormwater drains were established to ensure that subways and roads don’t get flooded during monsoon.

"These achievements of the DMK government have disturbed the sleep of the AIADMK-BJP combine. In particular, these achievements are a great threat to the BJP," the minister claimed.

He pointed out that the high court quashed the case filed against his brother over a loan taken in 2013, stating that no crime had been committed. Following this, the high court has already quashed the First Information Report registered by the ED.

"However, the BJP is forcing the ED to engage in propaganda again and again. I will face the allegations made out against me according to the law," he said in the statement.

"We who have come to serve the people will not be afraid of the ED or the politically motivated defamation campaign of the central government," Nehru said. PTI JSP JSP KH