DMK government files defamation case against BJP chief for ‘DMK Files’

Chennai: Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday filed a case against the state BJP chief for ‘defaming’ chief minister MK Stalin with corruption allegations.

K Annamalai recently came out with what he called ‘DMK Files’ alleging that MK Stalin received rupees 200 crore to streamline a contract for Chennai Metro.

Alongside alleging that DMK owns assets worth ₹ 1.34 lakh crore, Annamalai said Stalin’s family members were directors of a Dubai company investing in the state, according to NDTV.

Despite calling Annamalai’s allegation a ‘joke’, DMK served him a legal notice; however, Annamalai refused to apologise, while his party said he will fight the case in the court.

Annamalai has created a storm of sorts in Tamil Nadu politics on April 14 going public with a list on DMK’s assets which he put at rupees 1.34 crore.

He alleged that the assets he referred to were owned by top DMK leaders including MK Stalin's son and Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, and other ministers including Durai Murugan, EV Velu, K Ponmudy, V Senthil Balaji, and former Union Minister S Jagathrakshakan.

Later DMK’s MP RS Bharathi said that there was not a single allegation of payment of bribe, and added that all candidates listed have submitted their asset details in affidavits.

However, Annamalai released a bombshell audio clip on April 25 claiming that the state’s Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan as revealing in a recorded conversation that Stalin's son Udhayanidhi Stalin and son-in-law V Sabareesan accumulated wealth ₹ 30,000 crore in a year.

Palanivel Thiaga Rajan called the audio clip as ‘malicious, fabricated, adding that it was aimed at creating division among DMK cadres.