ED raids 25 sites in Tamil Nadu over TASMAC liquor trade, Senthil Balaji under lens

The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday conducted searches at multiple locations in Tamil Nadu as part of a money laundering probe linked to alleged irregularities in the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC), including the purported role of its minister Senthil Balaji, official sources said.

The raids were conducted at about 25 locations in the state, including in Chennai, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai and some other cities.

The offices of TASMAC, its employees, corporate offices of distilleries and plants as well as “key associates” linked to Balaji are being covered, the sources said. No premises of the minister are being searched, they said.

Balaji, the minister for electricity, also has TASMAC under his charge. The TASMAC holds monopoly over liquor trade in the state.

The agency is looking at sale transactions of liquor and the role of some alleged middlemen in connection with TASMAC, they said.

The ED has been probing the role of Balaji, a DMK leader, in an earlier money laundering investigation liked to the ‘cash for jobs scam’ in the state transport department.

He was arrested by the federal agency in this case and is out on bail now.