Tamil Nadu's Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) seems to be having a busy tenure under the current regime by unfolding back to back raids at the properties that belong to the former ADMK Ministers. Days after former ADMK Minister C Vijayabaskar's properties were raided by the sleuths of DVAC, ADMK leader Elangovan has become the latest target of the state's anti-corruption agency. 

ADMK leader Elangovan has a stronghold in the Salem district and he has been serving as the Chairman of Tamil Nadu State Apex Cooperative Bank. Importantly, Elangovan observes a very close relationship with former Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami, who is now the state's opposition leader. As the DVAC had reached the inner circle of the former Chief Minister, the reports say that Edappadi Palaniswami could be the next target of the anti-corruption agency. 

According to reports, the DVAC has on Friday unfolded the raids in Salem with a well-packed agenda of bringing the intimate people of Edappadi Palaniswami under the scanner. The DVAC sleuths have been conducting raids at 23 places connected to Elangovan. His residence in Salem and his properties in Chennai and Trichy had invited raids. Besides serving in the state's cooperative bank, Elangovan has also been serving as the secretary of ADMK Jayalalithaa Peravai in Salem.

The DVAC has also filed a misappropriate assets case against Elangovan and his son Praveen Kumar under the grounds that they had amassed wealth worth Rs 3.78 crore from 2014 to 2020, beyond their income sources. Elangovan has been a loyalist for Edappadi Palaniswami, who also hails from the Salem district. As a confidante, it has been reported that Elangovan knows the wealthy background of Edappadi Palaniswami and his investments. The raids would be lasting till Friday evening as the DVAC authorities are extending their searches to other places.

Our sources say that some of the major reasons for this raid are Elangovan's palatial residence that was said to have been built beyond his income sources and his intimacy with Edappadi Palaniswami. Besides Elangovan's properties, the DVAC sleuths are conducting searches at the properties that belong to Tennarasu, who owns PST Construction. The reports say that Tennarasu has been working on several government projects. The raids are also conducted at the residence of ADMK functionary Kubendran in Valappadi, Salem. 

On the other hand, the DVAC had also conducted raids on Friday in the places connected to former ADMK Minister C Vijayabaskar. While he came under direct scanner earlier this week, the authorities are now conducting searches at four places - three places in Chennai and one in Salem that belong to Vijayabaskar's friend. The DVAC Pudukottai unit had on Monday filed an FIR against Vijayabaskar and said that he had indulged in corrupt practices and added more wealth by amassing assets on the names of his dependents.    

It must be noted that C Vijayabaskar was the fourth former ADMK Minister to have come under the scanner of the DVAC after the DMK has come to power. The previous three were MR Vijayabaskar - former Transport Minister, SP Velumani- former Local Administration Minister, and KC Veeramani - former Commercial Taxes Minister.