Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday condemned the raids by ED on Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji. She called it a political vendetta and misuse of central agencies.
"I condemn the political vendetta by BJP against DMK today. Misuse of central agencies continues. ED raids in Tamil Nadu at the office of Minister for Prohibition and Excise at the state secretariat and his official residence are unacceptable. Desperate acts by BJP," she tweeted.
Her statement comes after senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee, the nephew of the chief minister failed to appear before the ED earlier today. He skipped the questioning in connection with the school jobs scam citing engagements due to panchayat polls in West Bengal.
The ED earlier today searched places linked to V Senthil Balaji and some other people as part of a money laundering investigation.
Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin also condemned the searches and slammed the BJP for "backdoor intimidation" of political rivals. "The BJP's politics of backdoor intimidation of those it is unable to face politically will not succeed. The time that they themselves will realise it is nearing," the Chief Minister, also president of the ruling DMK."
He specifically criticised the searches at the office room of Balaji at the Secretariat and termed it "a blot on federalism". He added the BJP "avenges" political forces opposed to it using investigating agencies.