Tiruvannamalai (Tamil Nadu) [India], June 25 : Following Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) raids on DMK MLA EV Velu, former Chief Minister and party president MK Stalin, on Thursday, accused the ruling TVK of orchestrating the raids amd asserted that the party would not be intimidated and would emerge victorious through legal means.
In a post on X, Stalin said Velu was extending full cooperation to the officials and would face the matter legally, asserting that no corruption case filed with "political vendetta" against the DMK has ever been proven in court.
"The Tamil Nadu Government's DVAC is conducting a raid at the residence of the Tiruvannamalai South District Secretary and former Minister, our dear brother Mr. E.V. Velu. He is extending his full cooperation to them. He will face this legally and prove the merits of his case in court. History shows that charges have never been proven in even a single case filed with political vendetta regarding alleged corruption during the DMK regime. The DMK is not a movement that will be intimidated by these threats from the ruling party! We have seen much greater oppression than this. We will face this and emerge victorious," he said on X.
https://x.com/mkstalin/status/2069997079447875716?s=20
This comes after officials from the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) carried out surprise raids at the residence of former Tamil Nadu Public Works and Highways Minister EV Velu on Thursday.
Officials carried out simultaneous raids at multiple educational institutions owned by him, located in Thenmathur village near Tiruvannamalai.
Velu has been an MLA seven times, three terms from Thandarampattu and four from Tiruvannamalai, and served as Food Minister during the DMK regime from 2006 to 2011, before holding the Public Works and Highways portfolio from 2021.
Around 35 DVAC personnel, divided into seven teams, are taking part in the operation, which includes searches at Arunai Engineering College, Arunai Medical College Hospital, Kamban Arts and Science College, Karan Arts and Science College, Kumaran Polytechnic and Jeeva Velu International Matriculation School.
Reports have emerged alleging that he has accumulated assets disproportionate to his known sources of income across various parts of Tamil Nadu.
Additionally, students entering these institutions are being subjected to checks by the officials before being allowed inside, leading to a tense atmosphere in the area.
Velu, who currently serves as the DMK's Chief Whip in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, held the Public Works and Highways portfolios in the previous government.
The raids come weeks after the change of government in Tamil Nadu, which saw the rise of debutant TVK and party chief Vijay into power.