CHENNAI: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday reiterated his demand for a CBI inquiry into the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy to get the real culprits punished.

Addressing reporters after a discussion with party functionaries in Salem, Palaniswami blamed the DMK of being complacent without realizing the impact of the hooch tragedy.

“It’s shocking over reports that five persons are undergoing treatment after consuming spurious liquor in a tribal settlement in Udumalpet forest range in Anaimalai Tiger Reserve (ATR). Still sale of illicit arrack continues unabated in different parts of the state,” he said.

Further, Palaniswami accused Chief Minister MK Stalin of attempting to divert the attention of people from the hooch tragedy by making false charges that a CBI inquiry was not initiated into the Sathankulam incident.

“Even when the High Court ordered an investigation by the CB-CID into the issue, the then AIADMK government issued a GO for CBI investigation. In the hooch tragedy, if the case is investigated by CB-CID, which is an arm of the state government, then the real culprits will escape. It will be known whether ruling party functionaries are involved, only if investigated by a central agency,” he said.

On the proposal to introduce liquor in tetra packs, the AIADMK leader said it would set a bad precedent.