The Kochi unit of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is questioning C. Vijayabaskar, former Health Minister of Tamil Nadu, under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with the alleged purchase of gold from a prominent jewellery firm in Kerala.
He was summoned to the ED office in Kochi on Monday based on a complaint lodged by a woman based in Alappuzha alleging that the former Minister had purchased gold worth crores from the jewellery firm.
It is learnt that the company management had lodged a police complaint against the woman alleging that she had not remitted the money due towards the gold purchased from them.
The woman informed the ED that she had received around ₹2.5 crores as commission for linking Mr. Vijayabaskar with the jewellery firm for buying gold. The central agency suspected that he may have used black money in his possession to purchase gold worth several crores.
Officials of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) in Tamil Nadu had searched the houses of Mr. Vijayabaskar and his relatives in Pudukottai and other places on October 18 after booking a disproportionate assets case against him and his wife.
The DVAC had filed a first information report on information that Mr. Vijayabaskar had indulged in corrupt practices and enriched himself by acquiring assets in his and dependents' names.
