T.N. government has only sought for cases relating to Tasmac be heard by the SC: Regupathy

Law Minister Regupathy clarifies State government's stance on Tasmac cases, accuses AIADMK leader of misinterpretation and betrayal.

Law Minister S. Regupathy on Monday said the State government had only sought for all cases related to [Directorate of Enforcement (ED) searches in] the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) in the Madras High Court to be heard by the Supreme Court and not asked for the cases to be transferred to another State.

Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat, he countered Leader of the Opposition and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami’s remarks at the Assembly and alleged that the latter has not read the State government’s plea properly. “Our intention is that the case should not be prolonged. We want to close the case at once before the Supreme Court. There has been no wrong doing in Tasmac, and we can prove it in court,” he said. Mr. Regupathy said 83 fishermen were in jail in Sri Lanka, but the latter had said 11 fishermen would be released. The Union government is responsible for the arrest of fishermen, he alleged.

To a question on ED searches at the residence of Municipal Administration Minister K.N. Nehru, Mr. Regupathy alleged that the ED was also an “alliance partner” of the BJP. Criticising Mr. Palaniswami, Mr. Regupathy alleged that the AIADMK leader was gearing up for an alliance with the BJP which had been refusing funds to the State, “imposing Hindi”, and trying to reduce seats for Tamil Nadu at the Parliament through delimitation. He also termed Mr. Palaniswami a ‘traitor’.