Madras HC directs ED to halt proceedings related to TASMAC premises searches

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 20 : The Madras High Court on Thursday heard the writ petitions moved by Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited (TASMAC) to stay Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) proceedings by Enforcement Directorate and not to "harass" employees in the pretext of inquiry.
The High Court ordered the Enforcement Directorate to put on hold all proceedings pursuant to raids on TASMAC premises and directed the agency to file a counter affidavit.
The court then adjourned the hearing to March 25.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has recently raided Tamil Nadu government-run TASMAC premises.
A division bench of Justices MS Ramesh and N Senthilkumar asked the ED to file details of FIRs on which it has proceeded and told the Tamil Nadu government to submit CCTV footages of raids held for three days.
Tamil Nadu BJP has been protesting against the alleged irregularities in Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited (TASMAC).
On Monday, the Tamil Nadu Police detained several BJP leaders including Annamalai and Tamilisai Soundararajan over their protest against TASMAC.
Speaking to media, Annamalai said, "Some of the officers have become stooges of DMK. Instead of a Police uniform, they can wear a DMK dress and the DGP and Commissioner can do politics here. They want to please the Chief Minister from morning till evening. They have arrested many people. After 6 pm, you cannot keep females in detention, they kept them till 7 pm. We have to fight and come out because the Police's idea is how can anybody protest against DMK. I have a lot of respect for police but the behaviour of top police leadership is downright shameful."
He further claimed that the TASMAC is a burning issue which has persisted for three and a half years after DMK came to power.
"Chief Minister MK Stalin reserved the seat for Senthil Balaji till he was arrested and came out of jail. CM Stalin was the first person who went there, sacrificing the norms of how the CM should conduct himself. He directly intervened in the ED's investigation. With this, we are very clear that the actual accused in this case is MK Stalin. DMK's election in 2024 Lok Sabha was completely fought on alcohol money and they are using TASMAC for 2026 Assembly elections," Annamalai alleged further.
Tamilisai Soundararajan, who was also among the detained workers, said that the police released them after they agitated.
"They are releasing after we agitated, after a female leader fainted. They kept us in detention after 6 pm. They are not respecting the law but I am. As a doctor, I should have accompanied her to the hospital, but I sent her off to the hospital and I came back inside, respecting the law. I cannot sacrifice a woman karyakarta because of their atrocities. We quietly followed all that they said till 6:20 pm. Should women be treated like this? This treatment is atrocious. They want to kill our confidence so that we don't come for another agitation, but they can never do that. We will bounce back and fight against all corruption cases. We will continue our agitation," Tamilisai told ANI.
The protest was organised at Chennai TASMAC headquarters. However, the police detained Soundararajan from her residence while placing other BJP leaders in the state including Vinoj P Selvam under house arrest.
However, Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji has denied the charges of a scam in TASMAC and stated that the state government would face this legally.
"ED have alleged Rs 1000 crore corruption without any basis. Before ED one person made an accusation Rs 1000 crores scam then ED also says same in their statement. People are aware that there are thousands of meanings behind this. Government will face the ED searches on TASMAC legally," the Minister said.
The Minister claimed that everything was transparent as far as TASMAC is concerned.