Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder S. Ramadoss on Sunday said that any asset belonging to jailed AIADMK leader V.K. Sasikala and her family anywhere in the world, if found to have been acquired through corrupt means, must be seized, and the money [from the sale of such properties] returned to the people of the State.
In a statement, he accused both the DMK and the AIADMK of engaging in corruption and amassing wealth illegally. “Both the Dravidian parties indulged in corruption whenever they were in power, and this money belongs to the tax-payer,” he said.
Mr. Ramadoss said that although Sasikala is in jail and her family is not in power now, they would wield tremendous influence the moment they get the chance. “In fact, it is the example in corruption set by the DMK that Sasikala and the AIADMK cadre have followed. If one reads the Sarkaria Commission report, it will become clear that the DMK laid the foundation for corrupt practices,” he claimed.
The PMK leader also slammed the Income Tax department for having turned a blind eye to corruption allegations against Sasikala and her family when former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa was alive.
“How did Jazz Cinemas, with a capital of just a few lakh Rupees, buy Luxe [theatres], belonging to Sathyam Cinemas, for more than ₹1,000 crore? We and other political parties had raised this issue at the time, but the I-T department was afraid of taking any action because of Jayalalithaa,” he said.
Mr. Ramadoss also accused top ruling party politicians of being “commission agents” of Sasikala.The PMK leader urged the I-T department to conduct searches at the houses of senior ruling party figures to investigate how they had acquired vast assets.
