Chennai, March 18 (IANS) Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Rajya Sabha member R. Girirajan has filed nine separate writ petitions in the Madras High Court, seeking a directive to the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) to initiate money laundering investigations against several senior leaders of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).

The petitions urge the court to direct the ED to register Enforcement Case Information Reports (ECIRs) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, against former Tamil Nadu Ministers S.P. Velumani, C. Vijayabaskar, M.R. Vijayabaskar, P. Thangamani, R. Kamaraj, K.P. Anbalagan, and K.C. Veeramani.

Additionally, the plea names former MLA ‘T. Nagar’ Sathya alias B. Sathyanarayanan and R. Elangovan, former President of the Salem District Central Cooperative Bank.

According to the petitioner, all nine individuals are already facing corruption cases registered by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA), 1988.

Girirajan argued that these cases qualify as "scheduled offences" under the PMLA, thereby mandating the ED to initiate parallel money laundering investigations. He contended that the alleged illegal gains arising from these corruption cases fall squarely within the definition of “proceeds of crime” under Section 2(1)(u) of the PMLA, and that once such proceeds are identified from scheduled offences, the ED is empowered -- and obligated -- to register ECIRs, trace the funds, attach tainted assets, and proceed with confiscation in accordance with the law.

The petitioner further pointed out that the DVAC ensures transparency by uploading all its FIRs on its official website, and the cases against the AIADMK leaders are already in the public domain.

These FIRs, he argued, clearly disclose alleged offences under the PCA, eliminating any ambiguity regarding the nature of the charges.

Citing the Supreme Court’s 2024 judgment in Y. Balaji vs. Karthik Desai, Girirajan emphasised that the apex court had underscored the necessity of initiating money laundering probes in cases involving corruption by public servants.

The court had observed that the acquisition of illegal gratification constitutes "proceeds of crime" and amounts to money laundering.

"In light of this binding precedent, the ED is duty-bound to register ECIRs without delay," the petitioner submitted, urging the High Court to issue appropriate directions to the central agency.

The matter is expected to come up for hearing in the coming days, ahead of the April 23 Assembly elections.

--IANS

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