CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has dismissed petitions seeking action against BJP leader N Nainar Nagendran and others in connection with the seizure of cash allegedly meant for voter distribution, holding that no direction could be issued to the Enforcement Directorate to register a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Cash was seized at Tambaram railway station while allegedly being transported for distribution to voters in the Tirunelveli constituency, where Nainar had unsuccessfully contested in Lok Sabha election in 2024.
DMK Rajya Sabha MP Girirajan filed the petition before the HC seeking action against Nainar and former BJP State Organisation General Secretary Kesava Vinayagam. It stated that a case had already been registered by the CB-CID in relation to the incident.
It was submitted that the materials collected during the investigation disclosed serious cognisable offences, including conspiracy and cheating. Despite clear evidence indicating the generation and use of proceeds of crime, the ED had failed to register an ECIR and initiate proceedings under the PMLA, 2002.
When the matter was taken up for hearing before a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan, the petitions were dismissed.