Chennai: Opposition DMK members courted arrest taking out protest processions in various parts of the state demanding the resignation of health minister Vijayabaskar. In Chennai, south Chennai DMK secretary J. Anbazhagan, the author of the court petition that got the order for CBI probe on Friday, took a procession towards the DGP office in Chennai adding tension for the men in khaki.
Anbhazagan, who is also the Chepauk Triplicane MLA was arrested along with another MLA Ku Ka Selvam for leading a march towards the state police headquarters.
The DMK cadres raised slogans demanding the sacking of director general of police T K Rajendran facing allegations of corruption in the gutka scam and also insisted that the state health minister Vijayabhaskar was stripped off his ministership for his alleged involvement in gutka scam that came out after the Income Tax department raided the premises of a whole sale gutka dealer in Chennai.
“Our protest will continue until the state DGP and the health minister who are involved in the gutka scam step down. The Madras High Court has ordered for the CBI probe in this regard and to ensure that the probe is not biased those involved in the scam should resign from their post”, Anbhazhagan told reporters after being arrested with the DMK cadres.
Sale of Gutka and tobacco have been promoted by the government officials and the investigations had been already delayed by the state CBCID for more than a year, the demonstrators said. The detained demonstrators were later released by evening. Traffic was disrupted till noon due to the sudden procession taken out by DMK in parts of central and south Chennai.
I will expose gutka scam culprits at right time: M. K. Stalin
DMK working president M. K. Stalin told reporters he has documents and other evidence to prove the many corrupt deeds of AIADMK ministers and would bring them out at the right time. He said the CBI probe ordered by the Madras high court on Thursday would 'definitely bring the guilty to book'.
He wanted health minister C. Vijayabaskar, suspect in the gutha scam, resign and face the CBI probe. He recalled that DMK's A.Raja and Dayanidhi Maran had resigned as soon as allegations were raised against them during their tenure as Union ministers.
Our party chief M. Karunanidhi told them to quit and face the cases to ensure that the probe is not affected and they emerged victorious after facing the court cases, he said.
It may be noted that the DMK party MLA Anbhazhagan had filed a petition with the Madras High Court alleging that the two police officers TK Rajendran and former city police commissioner George along with health minister Vijayabhaskar took money and allowed the sale of banned gutka in Tamil Nadu.
The expose by the opposition party came after the Income tax department drafted a letter to the state government explaining that a diary confiscated from a gutka whole sale trader had transaction entries given to the state top brass.
