The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) carried out raids across Tamil Nadu at locations linked to senior AIADMK leader and former minister P Thangamani in the early hours of Wednesday. The DVAC said Thangamani invested “huge amounts” in crypto assets.

The FIR filed by the vigilance and anti-corruption directorate said Thangamani and his family accumulated disproportionate assets to the tune of Rs 4.85 crore between 2016 and 2020.

The FIR said, “There is reliable information that they have invested huge amount from the ill-gotten money in crypto assets.”

OVER RS 2 CRORE WORTH HIDDEN ASSEST

Reports said the DVAC raided 14 different locations in different parts of Tamil Nadu. The raided locations included those in Chennai, Karur and Namakkal among others.

The DVAC said Thangamani reported savings of about Rs 2.60 crore between May 23, 2016 and March 31, 2020. This means that financial resources and assets acquired by his family should not exceed the mentioned amount of Rs 2.60 crore, it said.

The FIR said the former minister “acquired and was in possession of immovable and movable assets in his name and in the names of his family members, relatives and others which are disproportionate to his known sources of income”.

DETAILS OF FIR

“He has acquired assets worth Rs 4,85,72,019 in excess, out of his total income, which is disproportionate to the known sources of income,” the FIR said.

In the FIR, Thangamani is named as the first accused while his son Dharanidharan and wife Santhi have been named co-accused number-two and number-three in the case.

The FIR said Thangamani and Dharanidharan acquired assets disproportionate to his income. These are being kept in the names of his relatives and in-laws in various places in and outside Tamil Nadu, it said.

The DVAC said Dharanidharan ran a “huge business” but only on paper. “It is revealed that such huge business in the name of Murugan Eaarth Movers was only on paper and no actual business was carried,” the FIR said.

Thangamani is the fifth prominent Opposition leader and former minister in Tamil Nadu to be probed by the DVAC for disproportionate assets. The anti-corruption wing of the Tamil Nadu government has probed MR Vijayabhaskar, SP Velumani, KC Veeramani and C Vijayabaskar over charges of corruption.