Land grab net widens, former DMK minister arrested

Tiruchirappalli (TN): Former transport minister and senior DMK leader KN Nehru was arrested here on Thursday in connection with a land grabbing case, the police said. Nehru, known to be a loyalist of DMK Treasurer MK Stalin, becomes the third minister in the previous DMK regime to be taken into custody in the continuing crackdown by the AIADMK government on land grabbing. The other two being Veerapandi S Arumugam and NKKP Raja. [caption id=“attachment_69143” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“The crackdown is the result of an electoral promise made by Jayalalithaa during the Assembly polls that she would take action against land grabbing during DMK rule. AFP”]  [/caption] Nehru was arrested along with party functionary Anbil Periasamy, Police Commissioner Masanamuthu told PTI. He said as per a complaint by K Srinivasan of Turaiyur, Nehru had allegedly taken 13,290 sq ft of his land at Chinamani in Tiruchi for construction of DMK party office, by forcibly obtaining his signature and “misusing” official power. His aged father had also been beaten up badly in the process, Masanamuthu, quoting the complaint, said. Two other DMK men, including a Textile businessman, were being questioned in connection with the case. The complainant said he had not been paid even a paise after the land was taken over by Nehru. The commissioner said city Deputy Mayor Anbazhagan, allegedly involved in the case, was absconding for the past few days and the police are searching for him. Nehru, who is also party’s district secretary, and Periyasamy have been detained at the KK Nagar Police Station for interrogation, he said. Besides Nehru and Periyasamy, cases have also been filed against six others, including Nehru’s brother Ramajayam and former MLA Rani. Of the six, one person is already in prison under the Goondas Act. There are a total of 11 accused in the case. There were also allegations that a part of Wakf property was allegedly taken up for construction of the DMK office. However, Nehru claimed that the said property had been taken on lease, and rent was being paid to the Wakf board. Chepauk constituency MLA J Anbazhagan, former MLA Ranganathan, his aide, and supporters of Union minister MK Alagiri, have already been arrested on land grab charges. The state government had formed a special cell to exclusively deal with the land grabbing cases. The crackdown is the result of an electoral promise made by Jayalalithaa during the Assembly polls that she would take action against land grabbing during DMK rule. PTI