Stalin slams delay in filing electoral malpractice case against TN CM, ministers

DMK leader M.K. Stalin on Sunday flayed the "delay in filing an EC-recommended" criminal case against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami and other Ministers and warned that his party will approach the Madras High Court if this was not done.

Meanwhile, PMK leader S.Ramadoss demanded the resignation of Palaniswami and the ministers under cloud so that the investigation in the case can progress in a proper fashion.

The Election Commission had ordered the Returning Officer of the R.K.Nagar assembly constituency where by-election was scheduled to be held and later cancelled to file an FIR against Palaniswami, four other ministers and the party candidate T.T.V.Dinakaran on charge of attempting to bribe voters, Stalin said in a statement.

He said the poll panel had also sent a 34-page report by the Income Tax Department to the state Chief Electoral Officer and the Chief Secretary.

He said the Election Commission's order for lodging a police complaint was obtained from the poll panel by an applicant under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

Stalin said the delay in registering a complaint was nothing but disrespect to the Election Commission, a constitutional body.

Asked by IANS whether a FIR was lodged against Palaniswami and others as directed by the Election Commission, CEO Rajesh Lakhani was evasive.

He said over 30 complaints have been registered by police for alleged electoral malpractices.

Ahead of the bye-election to the R.K. Nagar constituency, the Income Tax Department had raided the residences and business premises of Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar, his relatives as well as persons close to him and his business associates.

An Income Tax official then told IANS that they had seized cash totalling Rs 5.5 crore besides documents showing that Rs 89 crore changed hands in R.K. Nagar.

Subsequently, the Election Commission cancelled the by-election for the seat that fell vacant after the death of then Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa in December 2016.

--IANS

vj/vd