Latest news with #Tasmac
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Tasmac case: Madras HC halts ED probe against film producer, businessman says no direct evidence against Akash Baskaran, Vikram Ravindran; declares ED raids illegal, orders return of seized items
CHENNAI: In a major setback for the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Madras high court on Friday restrained the agency from continuing its investigation into the roles of film producer Akash Baskaran and businessman Vikram Ravindran in the Tasmac money laundering case. A division bench comprising Justices M S Ramesh and V Lakshminarayanan observed that there was no direct evidence in the documents submitted by the ED to prove the duo's involvement in the alleged money laundering. The court also declared the searches conducted on their premises illegal and directed the ED to return all items seized during the raids. Akash Baskaran of Dawn Pictures and businessman Vikram Ravindran had moved the High Court seeking relief after the ED searched their homes and offices as part of its probe into alleged money laundering through Tasmac (Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation), and sealed their premises. The ED had earlier conducted searches at Tasmac outlets, distilleries, and breweries in March, claiming to have unearthed illegal cash generation worth Rs 1,000 crore. In May, fresh searches were carried out covering Baskaran and Ravindran while the ED was interrogating Tasmac Managing Director S Visakan at its office.
India Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
High Court pauses ED action against film producer in Tamil Nadu liquor scam
The Madras High Court, on Friday, halted all proceedings by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against film producer Aakash Baskaran. The court also directed the investigation agency to return all materials seized from ED raided multiple locations linked with Baskaran, and his associate, Vikram Ravindran, on May 16, in connection with the alleged scam in Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac). The ED's search and seizure operations at multiple premises were part of the intensified probe into the Tasmac a film producer at Dawn Pictures, came under the ED's scanner due to his alleged proximity to the ruling DMK party, specifically Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin. His name emerged in connection with the alleged siphoning off of funds in the Tasmac scam. The Madras High Court questioned the legal foundation of the ED's actions against Baskaran and Ravindran. The Division Bench comprising Justices MS Ramesh and V Lakshminarayan held that the authorisation for the raids appeared to be prima facie beyond the ED's court also noted that the materials relied upon by the agency lacked any incriminating content justifying such coercive measures. The judges underscored that sealing premises in the absence of the occupants — without recording the presence of any material evidence — violated the scope of Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), mere act of sealing cannot be presumed as equivalent to seizure,' the bench observed, as quoted by Live Law, adding that such actions risked misleading implications about the agency's on May 22, the Supreme Court issued a stay on ED's investigation into Tasmac. A senior DMK leader viewed this as a welcome move, stating it provides relief not just for Tamil Nadu but for all non-BJP states. The Supreme Court order came after the Tamil Nadu government moved a petition challenging Madras High Court's Madras High Court's sharp observations on Friday came after Baskaran and Ravindran submitted that the ED had sealed their offices and homes in their absence, and that no seizure was recorded in their presence as mandated by law. In response, the ED claimed it had attempted to contact the petitioners multiple times, but they did not cooperate. However, the court held that this did not justify sealing premises without following due and Ravindran both stated they weren't named as accused in any registered Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR). This was confirmed by the ED's Special Public Prosecutor during the hearing, stated a report in the Indian court, noting this, directed the agency to return all seized materials and unseal the premises forthwith, reinforcing the principle that investigatory powers must remain within constitutional CASE OF ALLEGED TASMAC SCAMadvertisementThe ED's investigation stems from an alleged Rs 1,000 crore scam involving Tasmac. According to ED sources, distilleries under-reported expenses and issued bogus invoices — particularly for bottle manufacturing — in order to syphon unaccounted cash. These funds were allegedly used to pay bribes for securing favourable supply filed by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) between 2016 and 2021 form the basis of the PMLA ED, on March 6 and 8, conducted extensive raids targeting Tasmac's top officials, including Managing Director S Visakan, as well as private individuals suspected to be beneficiaries of the scheme. Aakash Bhaskaran's name surfaced due to alleged investments of diverted funds into the film industry, prompting the May 16 raids at locations associated with him and Ravindran.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- The Hindu
Now, objections to Tasmac shops predating new educational institutions also to be considered
The Tamil Nadu government has allowed District Collectors to consider and act on petitions that object to State-run liquor shops (better known as Tasmac shops) if they had been established prior to the establishment of any place of worship or educational institution in a locality. The Tamil Nadu Liquor Retail Vending (in Shops and Bars) Rules, 2003, was amended to this effect recently. Earlier, though there were proximity restrictions between a Tasmac shop and places of worship or educational institutions, they were applicable only if the places of worship or educational institutions had been established in a locality much before the Tasmac shop was set up there. Though no Tasmac shop was to be established in Municipal Corporations and Municipalities within 50 metres from any place of worship or educational institutions, one of the provisos to Rule 8 on 'Location of the shop' had said the provisions of this rule shall not apply 'if any place of worship, educational institution comes into existence subsequent to the establishment of the Tasmac shop'. The amended proviso said: 'However, if any representation is received objecting to the location of the shop established prior to the establishment of any educational institution within the distance as specified in sub-rule (1), the same shall be considered by the Collector on merits and orders passed thereon within a period of thirty days from the date of such representation'. As of March this year, the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) has 4,787 retail vending shops and 2,362 bars attached to the retail vending shops.
New Indian Express
5 days ago
- New Indian Express
Tasmac scam: Madras HC questions ED's powers to seal premises of bizmen
CHENNAI: Questioning the powers of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to seal the premises of film producer Akash Baskaran and businessman Vikram Ravindran in connection with the alleged Tasmac scam, the Madras High Court has granted a day's time to the agency to produce the materials, based on which it has proceeded against them, in the court. A division bench of Justices M S Ramesh and V Lakshminarayanan pilloried the central agency over the legality to seal the premises owned by the two persons only because they were not available when it went for a search. The questions were raised while hearing the petitions filed by Ravindran challenging the ED's action. 'Your people often say the money laundering act (PMLA) is evolving but we find the authorities are evolving by expanding the scope (of powers),' the bench commented. The ED's counsel explained that premises were not sealed but notices were pasted to the effect that the premises 'shall not be opened', besides asking them to contact the agency. The counsel said that the agency wanted to search the premises and since no one was available, they had to paste the notices. Stating that the agency has not even treated them as accused in the money laundering proceedings, the counsel said it has to search the premises based on credible information and independent materials. He also filed a sealed cover to the bench wondered why should the petitioners cooperate with the agency when they are not an accused in the laundering proceedings? The bench likened the action of the ED to a particular method used by the police, which, the bench said, would arrest the brother of an accused if the latter is not available.
New Indian Express
14-06-2025
- New Indian Express
Tasmac scam: Madras HC quizzes ED for sealing businessmen's properties
CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has asked the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to explain the reasoning behind raiding and sealing properties of film producer Akash Bhaskaran and businessman Vikram Ravindran in the alleged Rs 1,000 crore Tasmac scam. The court made these observations while hearing the petitions filed by the duo which sought to challenge the central agency's probe against them. The pleas were heard by a division bench of Justice M S Ramesh and Justice V Lakshminarayanan. Both Bhaskaran and Ravindran submitted that they had no connection with the alleged scam; while the former's mobile phones and laptops had been seized, the latter's properties had been sealed, which they contended was unjustified. The bench recorded their submissions and questioned the ED's authority to seal the homes and office premises of the to this, the ED counsel told the court that the central agency took this action as the properties were locked during the searches. Notices had been pasted on the walls asking the individuals to appear before the agency and they had failed to do so even after a month, the counsel told the court. The court recorded the submission and adjourned the hearing to June 17 by which ED will file a response.
