Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai on April 14, 2023, said he would file a complaint with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Chief Minister M.K. Stalin seeking an investigation into what he claimed was “tweaking of tender regulations” for phase 1 of the Chennai Metro Rail project 13 years ago to favour the Indian arm of a multi-national company (MNC) for a quid pro quo. At that time Mr. Stalin was Deputy Chief Minister.
Strongly denying all allegations, the DMK warned the BJP leader of legal action.
Releasing what he called the “DMK Files” to “expose” alleged corruption by ruling DMK leaders and their family members at the party headquarters in Chennai, Mr. Annamalai claimed ₹200 crore was paid to Mr. Stalin through two shell companies for awarding the contract to the MNC.
According to him, the tweaked regulation contradicted the Union government’s export-import policy in force then. The MNC concerned was fined $772 million by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2015 for bribing officials in many countries to secure contracts, he said.
With the Union government holding a stake in the metro rail project, he said he would file a complaint with the CBI on Monday, seeking investigation.
Mr. Annamalai played a video, listing what he claimed was the net worth of properties, educational institutions, and companies, owned directly or indirectly by the family of Mr. Stalin and some prominent DMK leaders including ministers. He claimed the cumulative assets accumulated disproportionately to their income was ₹ 1.34 lakh crore. He launched the websites, www.dmkfiles.in and www.enmannenmakkal.com, where these details have been hosted.
He alleged Ministers Udhayanidhi Stalin and Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi served as directors in different group companies associated with Noble Steel (NS) on different occasions, before resigning “suspiciously”. Last year the Chief Minister had signed an MoU with NS for ₹ 1,000 crore investment in Tamil Nadu during his visit to the UAE.
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He also levelled allegations of impropriety by Mr Stalin’s son-in-law V. Sabareesan and Red Giant Movies, formerly run by Mr. Udhayanidhi.
Will not spare any party
Contending that his fight against corruption will not be restricted to the DMK, without naming the BJP’s ally, AIADMK, he said prior to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, he will expose the corruption of all the parties that ruled Tamil Nadu. “If you do not want me to continue this, go talk to Delhi [leaders] and get me changed [as the president],” he said.
He appealed to the public to participate in the padayatra to be launched by the BJP across Tamil Nadu in June, focusing on corruption.
On speculations surrounding his absence at the recent event of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Chennai, Mr. Annamalai said it was the PM who asked him to focus on Karnataka elections, where he was co-in-charge. He did not take any questions from the media but said he would answer the queries a week later.
Published - April 14, 2023 07:04 pm IST
