Chennai, April 1 (IANS) The Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) to file a rejoinder to the counter affidavit submitted by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) by April 8.
The directive was issued by a division bench comprising Justices S.M. Subramaniam and K. Rajasekar.
The court also instructed the Advocate General of Tamil Nadu, P.S. Raman, to respond within the same timeline.
In its 47-page counter affidavit filed on April 1, the ED accused TASMAC of attempting to obstruct a legitimate investigation into potential money laundering activities involving some of its officials and private entities.
The affidavit, signed by ED Assistant Director Vikas Kumar, also questioned the maintainability of two writ petitions filed by TASMAC. These petitions sought to declare the recent search and seizure operation at TASMAC’s headquarters as illegal.
The ED categorically denied allegations made by TASMAC that its employees were harassed during the investigation. The agency stated that no individual employee had alleged any harassment or violation of human rights during the course of the search.
According to the ED, TASMAC is a state-run corporation that handles large amounts of public funds and has a substantial annual turnover. Therefore, the investigation into suspected money laundering is in the broader public interest.
The affidavit further revealed that an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) had been registered based on multiple First Information Reports (FIRs) filed by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC). These FIRs involve charges of corruption and malpractice against TASMAC officials and employees.
The complaints include instances of unaccounted cash found in liquor retail shops and district managers’ offices, overpricing of liquor, bribery in transfer and appointment processes, and dubious transactions between TASMAC officials and private breweries.
The ED maintained that the search operations were conducted lawfully and transparently. The proceedings were carried out in the presence of two independent witnesses from the State Bank of India.
The agency emphasised that the operations were peaceful and orderly, without any coercion, threats, inducements, or undue pressure exerted on TASMAC staff.
Additionally, the agency stated that all statements during the inquiry were taken in accordance with legal procedures, with none exceeding two and a half hours in duration.
Adequate rest and breaks were also reportedly provided to TASMAC employees throughout the process. The matter is scheduled to be taken up again by the High Court after TASMAC submits its rejoinder on or before April 8.
–IANS
AAL/DAN
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