ED Conducts Raids at Multiple Locations Associated with DMK MP Kathir Anand in Vellore, Tamil Nadu
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Chennai, Jan 3 (NationPress) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has commenced operations on Friday, conducting raids at five locations associated with DMK leader and Member of Parliament Kathir Anand.
The raids began early in the morning and are currently in progress. As of now, the ED officials have not provided any comments to the press.
Kathir Anand is the offspring of S. Duraimurugan, a prominent DMK leader and the second-highest official in the Stalin cabinet.
He serves as the representative for the Vellore Lok Sabha constituency.
There are claims suggesting that the ED's actions are aimed at targeting the DMK through such raids.
Previously, searches were conducted by the ED at the residences of DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Forest Minister K. Ponmudy along with his son, Gautham Sigamani, regarding a money laundering case.
The DMK has characterized these actions as instances of “political vendetta.”
In 2019, the then-President Ram Nath Kovind, following a recommendation from the Election Commission of India (ECI), annulled the Lok Sabha election in Vellore due to the discovery of unaccounted cash linked to Kathir Anand and associated venues.
During the 2019 elections, officials from the ECI seized a total of Rs 11 crore from Anand’s home and other properties. Subsequently, the ECI made the announcement: “Accepting the recommendation of the Election Commission of India dated April 14, 2019, the Honourable President is pleased to rescind the election to the Vellore parliamentary constituency in Tamil Nadu.”
The election, which was initially set for April 18, 2019, was called off on April 16, 2019, due to the recovery of cash.
A re-election occurred on August 5, 2019, where Kathir Anand, representing the DMK, emerged victorious by a slim margin of 8,141 votes, defeating A.C. Shanmugham of the AIADMK.
In the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Kathir Anand achieved a more convincing win, besting A.C. Shanmugham, who had since aligned with the BJP, by an impressive margin of 2,15,702 votes.
