Chennai: After two days of intense grilling by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the alleged gutkha scam, Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar is closeted with Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami today.
The Minister’s name was linked to the gutkha scam along with other top police officials for allowing the manufacture and sale of the banned item in Tamilnadu.
The scam surfaced when a diary, allegedly containing payments to the top brass of police, politics and other regulatory agencies, was seized during searches at the godown, offices and residence of a gutka manufacturer Annamalai Industries in July 2017.
The company was said to be manufacturing and selling MGM brand of gutkha in Tamilnadu despite a ban imposed on such activities in the State in 2013.
The company allegedly evaded Rs 250 crore in taxes.
It was alleged by the DMK petitioner that monthly payments of Rs 14 lakh were made to Vijaya Baskar, while payments in lakhs of rupees were made to officials of the Central Excise, Food Safety and Sales Tax department in Tamilnadu, senior police officers and politicians, among others.