BJP's Annamalai, leaders detained over TASMAC protest

Chennai: BJP Tamil Nadu president K. Annamalai and many functionaries were detained here on Monday by the police ahead of the party's protest against the alleged irregularities in state-run liquor retailer TASMAC.

The BJP had planned a picketing protest outside the TASMAC headquarters, citing alleged irregularities worth Rs 1,000 crore, as reported by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) recently.

BJP Tamil Nadu President K. Annamalai was detained by police near his residence, along with his supporters, as he wore a black shirt in protest. Annamalai claimed in a social media post that senior party leaders, including Tamilisai Soundararajan, were placed under house arrest by police.

Mahila Morcha chief and Coimbatore South MLA Vanathi Srinivasan, Vinoj P Selvam, and Amar Prasad Reddy were among the senior functionaries detained.

Annamalai alleged that the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) was involved in irregularities worth Rs 1000 crore and asserted that the BJP would continue protesting against the issue.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) said it has found multiple irregularities in TASMAC's operations, including manipulated tender processes and unaccounted cash transactions totalling Rs 1,000 crore through distillery companies. The ED claimed to have obtained evidence of these corrupt practices following raids on TASMAC employees, corporate offices, distilleries, and plants on March 6.

There were ‘kickbacks' involved, it had claimed.

(inputs from PTI)