Tamil Nadu: ED Conducts Fresh Searches In TASMAC Scam

This comes after the central agency conducted extensive raids in March, seizing what it called "incriminating documents." The ED's case is based on earlier corruption probes initiated by Tamil Nadu's vigilance and anti-corruption wing.

The agency alleges a "large-scale scam" within TASMAC, involving irregularities in employee transfers, tender processes for transport and bar licenses, biased indent orders favoring select distilleries, and overcharging at liquor outlets. The ED also claims that some tender winners lacked proper GST/PAN details or Know Your Customer (KYC) documentation.

Despite the Tamil Nadu government and TASMAC challenging the investigation in the Madras High Court, the court dismissed their petition, allowing the ED to proceed with the probe.

As per a report in Federal website, S Visakan, TASMAC's Managing Director and a promoted IAS officer, is being questioned by the ED at his residence in Manapakkam. Officials stated that the interrogation, which started Friday morning, focuses on financial irregularities uncovered during earlier raids in March.

The agency alleges that Visakan and other senior TASMAC officials were involved in a well-organized scheme involving tender manipulation, inflated pricing at liquor shops, and illegal payments to secure supply contracts from distilleries.

Visakan, along with TASMAC General Managers S Sangeetha and T Ramaduraimurugan, and Deputy General Manager Jothi Shankar, had been summoned on April 24 after the Madras High Court rejected TASMAC's challenge to the ED's raids. Sources indicate that while Visakan had sought more time to respond, the ED's latest actions signal an escalation in the investigation, the report said.