Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Saturday asserted that those behind the production and release of a video, purportedly linking him with a break-in that happened in April 2017 at the Kodanadu Estate bungalow, once used by former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, would be exposed soon.
Disclosing that a case was booked on Friday in this conection, Mr. Palaniswami told journalists at the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) headquarters here that “strong action” would be taken to identify the persons responsible for the film.
Refuting the allegations made in the film, the CM said 10 persons had been arrested in connection with the break-in and they had appeared before court on 22 occasions in the last one-and-a-half years. To a question whether there was a political motive behind the film, he replied: “I think so. This is why we have filed the case. The truth will come out when investigation is carried out.”
Wondering why the no details on the break-in had emerged in the last one-and-a-half years, the Chief Minister said the next hearing of the case would be on February 2. “Would this [the release of the film] not dilute the case? Or, is this to bring disrepute to the AIADMK government and to the party out of political vendetta?”
Asked whether any case would be filed against the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president M.K. Stalin, the Chief Minister replied that he would not be in a position to say anything at this juncture as the investigation was under way. He did accuse the DMK of filing case after case against his government on one ground or the other.
Referring to petitions filed in the Madras High Court against the government for highway projects, providing cash gifts for Pongal and holding the Global Investors’ Meet, he said it was the “work” of the DMK to see to it that the AIADMK regime did not bring in any scheme or project in the State.
Mr. Palaniswami also rejected the contention, made in the film, that Jayalalithaa had secured documents from party office-bearers and the break-in was orchestrated to retrieve those documents. He emphasised that Jayalalithaa had treated functionaries as “members of her family” and provided them positions in the party. “Amma never got any document from any office-bearer at any point of time,” he added.
