BJP alleges Rs 1,000 cr liquor scam in Tamil Nadu, DMK denies wrongdoing

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday accused Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin of spreading baseless rumours about the three-language policy and other issues to divert attention from ongoing Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids on TASMAC and liquor-supplying companies in Tamil Nadu.

In a post on X, BJP leader Amit Malaviya said, "Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin is spreading baseless rumours about the three-language policy, NEP, delimitation, and the removal of the Rs symbol from the budget document to distract the public from the ongoing Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids on TASMAC, the Liquor Minister, and liquor-supplying companies in Tamil Nadu."

Malaviya claimed that the ED has unearthed documents revealing bribes worth Rs 1,000 crore and asked Stalin to reveal who received the illegal payments.

"The ED has uncovered documents from distilleries revealing the generation of unaccounted cash amounting to Rs 1,000 crores, paid as kickbacks. The DMK has been exploiting common people to fill its party coffers by manipulating the system, and MK Stalin owes the public an explanation regarding who received these kickbacks. Given these developments and the massive corruption under his watch, it is becoming increasingly untenable for him to continue as Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister," Malaviya said in the post.

BJP MLA Vanathi Srinivasan said she has written to Tamil Nadu Assembly speaker to urge the state government to respond on the alleged scam.

"ED's investigation into TASMAC has uncovered unaccounted cash transactions worth Rs1,000 crore, exposing manipulated tenders and massive financial irregularities. Have written to the Hon'ble Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Assembly, urging the state government to respond under Rule 55," she posted on X.

Tamil Nadu Excise Minister Senthil Balaji however denied allegations of Rs 1,000 crore corruption, stating there is no basis for the claim and no room for malpractices in the TASMAC tender.

"In the name of searches, the ED has conducted searches but has not mentioned in their press release the year the FIR was registered. They have created a scene as if mistakes have happened in TASMAC recruitment. For the past four years, the bar tender has been online only. Without any basis, they have accused us of Rs 1,000 crore of corruption. There is no room for malpractices in the TASMAC tender," Balaji said.

On March 6, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Chennai, conducted search operations at various premises across many districts of Tamil Nadu under the provisions of PMLA, 2002, for various offences related to Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited (TASMAC) and its associated entities/persons.