Kodanad estate break in; AIADMK meets TN Governor

: The ruling AIADMK Tuesday met Tamil Nadu Governor over the controversy surrounding the Kodanad estate break-in, and described the opposition DMK's demand for an SIT probe as being done for "political mileage."A delegation of party leaders, including Rajya Sabha MP R Vaithilingam and former state Minister K P Munusamy called on Banwarilal Purohit, a day after DMK President and state Leader of Opposition M K Stalin met the Governor.The ruling party said it was its "duty" to apprise the Govenor after the Leader of the Opposition had levelled such a "big charge" against Chief Minsiter K Palaniswami on Monday.Upping the ante on the 2017 Kodanad estate heist video clip, DMK had on Monday urged the Governor to direct Palaniswami to resign from his post to ensure a free and fair probe into the matter.Palaniswami has been linked by some of the accused in the case to the break-in, which he has categorically rejected.The DMK had also urged for a probe by a Special Investigation Team, comprising officers of the rank of Inspector General of Police and further investigation into the "mysterious death" of alleged key conspirator Kanagaraj.On Tuesday, the AIADMK delegation said it told the Governor that Stalin had taken up the matter for 'political mileage.'"We told the Governor that DMK's demand for the SIT is purely for political mileage. Stalin is seeking to use statements made by persons accused of murder and extortion, and that too, two years after the incident," Munusamy later told reporters.He insisted that the AIADMK delegation had voluntarily met Purohit and that the latter did not invite them to discuss the matter."Realising that DMK cannnot win the coming Lok Sabha polls, Stalin wants to somehow malign the chief minister's reputation and that of this government, which enjoys the people's support," he alleged."We told the Governor that the memorandum (of demands by Stalin presented to him) is for political benefit,"the senior leader said, adding that the Governor promised to look into the matter.Munusamy recalled that in 1996, then chief minister M Karunanidhi had raised an issue over a picture showing the late AIADMK suprmoe J Jayalalithaa with two accused in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, but it later emerged that they were local advocates."Karunanidhi went silent after it was proved (that they were not the accused persons). If the father did something like that, his son (Stalin) is doing something like this now," he said.Stalin had levelled "baseless charges" against the chief minister, Munusamy said, adding that AIADMK could initiate legal action against the DMK leader over the issue.Stalin "will for sure lose and face insult," in this matter, he claimed.On the accused persons' statements linking Palaniswami to the heist, Munusamy wondered how the chief minister would know what would be kept inside a "private property.""Maybe (V K) Sasikala knows," he said, referring to the jailed former close aide of Jayalalithaa.On January 11, a former magazine editor Samuel Mathew had released a 16-minute video clip in Delhi, alleging that Palaniswami had links to a break-in at Kodanad estate in 2017.Palaniswami, refuting the allegations,has said that those who were unable to take on AIADMK politically were resorting to such cheap acts and asserted that a probe would expose their identities.On April 23, 2017 late night, a group of men, including prime accused Kanagaraj -who later died in a road mishap- barged into the Kodanad Estate after assaulting two guards.One of them, identified as Om Bahadur, died.They had smashed the bungalow's window panes and searched three rooms and finding no expensive articles and money, decamped with ornamental things and watches.Two suspects in the case, K V Sayan and Valayar Manoj had levelled the charge, linking Palaniswami to the break-in in the clip that was released in Delhi.

Kodanad estate break in; AIADMK meets TN Governor

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