Overview
- On 18 March, Rajya Sabha MP R. Girirajan filed nine writ petitions seeking ED ECIRs against seven former AIADMK ministers and two party-linked associates.
- The pleas rely on DVAC FIRs under the Prevention of Corruption Act as scheduled offences that the petitioner says require PMLA investigations.
- Citing the Supreme Court’s 2024 Y. Balaji v. Karthik Desai ruling, the petitions contend that alleged illegal gratification amounts to proceeds of crime necessitating ECIR registration.
- The petitions ask the court to direct the ED to probe laundering of the alleged proceeds, trace assets, and provisionally attach properties.
- The ED has not registered ECIRs so far; AIADMK called the move an election stunt as Tamil Nadu heads to polls on 23 April, and no court order or hearing date has been reported.