Tamil Nadu Law Minister and DMK leader S. Regupathy vehemently denied any links between his party and Jaffer Sadiq, the prime accused in an international drug trafficking case under investigation by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). The DMK issued a stern warning of legal action against anyone attempting to associate Sadiq with the party or its leaders.
Speaking to reporters, Minister Regupathy emphasized that the DMK had not received any financial contributions from Sadiq, dispelling any notion of association between the two parties. He criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government for allegedly orchestrating efforts to tarnish the DMK’s reputation through the misuse of investigative agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate, Income Tax Department, and Central Bureau of Investigation.
Regupathy accused the NCB Deputy Director General Gyaneshwar Singh of prematurely holding a press conference about Sadiq’s arrest before the completion of the investigation. He alleged that this was a deliberate attempt to smear the DMK’s image and gain political advantage for the BJP ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
Highlighting the swift actions taken by the DMK government against drug peddling since assuming office in 2021, Regupathy reiterated that the people of Tamil Nadu were aware of the BJP’s motives. He criticized the previous AIADMK regime for allegedly neglecting cases like the sale of banned gutkha, suggesting that the BJP’s focus on targeting the DMK was politically motivated.
Regupathy questioned the NCB’s delay in arresting Sadiq despite issuing a lookout notice on February 15, noting that Sadiq had attended a public event in Chennai on February 21. He accused the BJP advocate, who represented Sadiq in a 2013 NCB case, of colluding with the AIADMK government to secure Sadiq’s acquittal.
Responding to concerns about Sadiq’s membership in the DMK despite his past involvement in legal cases, Regupathy clarified that the party had over two crore members, making it impractical to vet each applicant’s background thoroughly. However, he emphasized that the DMK promptly expelled members upon learning of any wrongdoing.
Regupathy dismissed suggestions that Sadiq’s arrest was politically motivated, asserting that the DMK had already expelled him from the party before his arrest. He accused the BJP-led Centre of fabricating false allegations against the DMK to gain political mileage ahead of the elections.
Asserting Tamil Nadu’s zero tolerance for drug trafficking, Regupathy criticized the NCB for holding a press conference on an ongoing investigation. He mocked AIADMK chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami’s visit to the Governor over the issue, suggesting that the former Chief Minister should acknowledge his party’s failure to act on the 2013 case against Sadiq.
DMK Rajya Sabha MP and senior advocate P. Wilson warned of civil and criminal prosecution against anyone attempting to link the party or its leaders to the NCB case involving Sadiq.
