Following The Hindu’s exposé on suspected payouts made to a minister, top police officers and other officials by a gutkha dealer, opposition parties including the DMK and the PMK have demanded a thorough probe into the matter and action against the offenders involved.
In a statement, DMK working president M.K. Stalin referred to The Hindu’s report titled ‘I-T probe unearths payment of bribes to Tamil Nadu Minister, officials for gutkha sale’ and demanded an inquiry by a sitting judge of the Madras High Court into the suspected bribing of officials to the tune of ₹40 crore. “As a first step, the Chief Minister should suspend the Police Commissioners concerned and other officials involved in the case to ensure a free and fair inquiry into the matter,” he said.
Mr. Stalin said it was shameful that the AIADMK government had turned a blind eye to the “ mamool (extortion) culture” and that a former Police Commissioner who was expected to monitor his subordinates had accepted bribes.
Cover-up alleged
“Now, it has been thoroughly exposed that the State government remained a mute spectator to the sale of gutkha products that destroy the lives of youth and the future generation,” he alleged.
Stating that he had urged then Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam to form an inquiry commission to probe the issue, Mr. Stalin said, “Since he wanted to cover up the scandal, he rejected the demand. The news report in The Hindu about the involvement of higher officials has brought shame to the police department.”
“When former DGP Ashok Kumar initiated an inquiry, he was shifted from his post immediately. Another officer, Mr. Arunachalam, who was conducting an inquiry in Chennai, was transferred to Tirunelveli. The inquiry into the bribes paid in connection with banned gutkha and pan products was therefore closed,” he alleged.
In a separate statement, PMK founder S. Ramadoss demanded action against Health Minister C. Vijaya Baskar for permitting the sale of banned tobacco products.
He questioned as to why no action was taken against anyone despite the I-T department writing to the Chief Secretary and the DGP about the recovery of documents from MDM’s gutkha factories in Red Hills.
Demanding an inquiry into the gutkha payouts, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president Su. Thirunavukkarasar recalled that the I-T department had raided then-Chief Secretary P. Rama Mohana Rao, and said similar action should be taken against the ministers and bureaucrats who allegedly took bribes.
