ED Raids at DMK MP Kathir Anand’s Engineering College Conclude After Two Days
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids at Kingston Engineering College, owned by DMK MP Kathir Anand, concluded on Sunday after 44 hours of intensive searches.
Chennai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids at Kingston Engineering College, owned by DMK MP Kathir Anand, concluded on Sunday after 44 hours of intensive searches.
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The raids, which took place in Tamil Nadu’s Vellore, have intensified political discussions and raised questions about the timing ahead of the upcoming elections.
Also Read: Tamil Nadu Government Declares Public Holiday on January 17 to Extend Pongal Celebrations
Details of the ED Raids
The raids, which began on Friday, involved over 15 ED officials and eight vehicles. The ED team conducted searches across multiple locations, including the engineering college, the residences of Kathir Anand and his father S. Duraimurugan, the DMK General Secretary and Tamil Nadu Water Resources Minister, as well as properties associated with their close associates in Katpadi and Vellore.
During the raids, the ED seized unaccounted cash, documents related to the college’s financial transactions, and a hard disk. College authorities have claimed that the seized money was intended for staff salaries and Pongal festival bonuses, and it consisted of student fee collections.
Connection to 2019 Income Tax Case
Sources indicate that the raids are linked to a 2019 Income Tax investigation into Kathir Anand, which involves allegations of cash-for-votes during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. During that time, election officials confiscated Rs 11 crore from Anand’s associates, which led to the cancellation of the Vellore constituency elections.
As a result, the election, originally scheduled for April 18, 2019, was canceled and rescheduled for August 5, 2019. Kathir Anand, contesting under the DMK banner, narrowly defeated AIADMK’s A.C. Shanmugham by a margin of 8,141 votes.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Anand secured a more decisive victory, defeating Shanmugham—now with the BJP—by a significant margin of 2,15,702 votes.
Political Fallout and DMK’s Response
The DMK has labeled the ED’s actions as a “political vendetta,” citing the ongoing pattern of investigations targeting opposition leaders in Tamil Nadu. This is not the first instance of ED raids against DMK members; in the past, searches were conducted at the properties of Tamil Nadu Forest Minister K. Ponmudy and his son, Gautham Sigamani, in a money laundering probe.
On Saturday, shortly after the raids began, S. Duraimurugan and Arakkonam MP S. Jagathrakshakan flew from Chennai to New Delhi, fueling further speculation about the political implications of the investigation.
Election Season and Partisan Concerns
Political analysts suggest that the ED raids are intensifying in the run-up to the 2024 elections, raising concerns of political targeting aimed at opposition leaders. The growing scrutiny has added to the ongoing debate over the use of central agencies in state politics, particularly with elections on the horizon.
