The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Chennai Zonal Office, has provisionally attached immovable properties worth Rs. 100.92 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The action is part of an ongoing investigation against R. Vaithilingam, an AIADMK MLA and former Minister for Housing and Urban Development.According to an official ED statement, the attached properties are registered under Muthammal Estates Pvt Ltd, a company owned by Vaithilingam’s family. The investigation stemmed from an FIR filed by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC), which alleged financial irregularities during Vaithilingam’s tenure as minister.
Vaithilingam, a representative from the Orathanadu constituency in Thanjavur district and a key figure in O. Panneerselvam’s AIADMK faction, is accused of accepting a bribe of Rs. 27.90 crore from Shriram Properties & Infrastructure Pvt Ltd. This payment was reportedly in exchange for granting planning permission for a real estate project.
The ED alleges that the bribe was disguised as share application money through shell companies controlled by Vaithilingam’s family. Instead of being used for land acquisition as claimed, the funds were rerouted through multiple shell entities and eventually invested in properties in Tiruchirappalli, now attached by the ED.
This development has sent shockwaves through AIADMK ranks, particularly amid ongoing I-T and ED actions targeting leaders from various factions. Political analysts and party insiders suggest that such investigations may influence AIADMK leaders to align more closely with the BJP, as observed in neighboring Puducherry.
Vaithilingam’s affiliation with the O. Panneerselvam camp, which has been sidelined by Edappadi K. Palaniswami’s faction, adds another layer of intrigue to the case.
The ED’s investigation underscores the agency’s focus on curbing corruption and money laundering, particularly in high-profile cases involving political figures. Further developments in this case are expected to impact the political landscape in Tamil Nadu.