After Senthilbalaji, ED seeks TN govt to probe Anitha Radhakrishnan

CHENNAI: Within days of seeking permission to probe former minister V Senthilbalaji, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has sent its second letter to the State government. This time, it seeks a prosecution sanction against Tiruchendur DMK MLA Anitha R Radhakrishnan.

The four-page communication addressed to the Chief Secretary stated that it serves as a reminder of the ED's earlier letter on the same subject sent in March to the then Chief Secretary, as no response was received from the DMK government.

The letter, issued by the ED office in Chennai, notes that if the state government fails to respond within 120 days, it will be deemed as consent. ED sources said that if the government does not decide on the prosecution request within that period, the agency can approach the court under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) to proceed further.

In 2024, the enforcement watchdog launched a money laundering probe against Anitha Radhakrishnan, who was then the DMK's fisheries minister, based on an FIR registered by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) in 2013.

The DVAC had accused him of amassing wealth while he was the housing minister during the previous AIADMK regime.
During the money laundering investigation, the ED offered to assist the DVAC in the trial and provided additional case-related information. However, the DVAC resisted the ED's intervention.

The ED subsequently filed its chargesheet (prosecution complaint) and wrote to the Tamil Nadu governor seeking prosecution sanction. The letter was returned with the observation that the ED should approach the State government through proper official channels. As the state government did not respond to the ED's formal communication in March, the agency has now written to the TVK government led by C Joseph Vijay.

On May 15, the Enforcement Directorate's Zone 1 office in Chennai wrote to the state government seeking prosecution sanction against DMK MLA V Senthilbalaji in a money laundering case stemming from a "cash-for-jobs" scam being probed by the DVAC.