Centre trying to tarnish image of Ministers in Opposition-ruled States through Central agencies ahead of elections, says Appavu

The Union government, through the Central agencies, is threatening ministers of Opposition-ruled States for political reasons and tarnish their image ahead of Assembly elections, Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M. Appavu has said.

During an informal chat with reporters here on Thursday after participating in the foundation stone laying ceremony for the Neo Tidel Park, Mr. Appavu, when asked about the Enforcement Directorate’s director Rahul Navin camping in Chennai , recalled that the CBI registered a case in 2012 against then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi based on a dairy recovered from the office premises of Sahara Group that showed Mr. Modi receiving payments of ₹25 crore in four instalments. When registration of this case was challenged in the Supreme Court, the apex court ruled in 2017 that no case could be registered against any individual based on “unconfirmed documents or emails” recovered during searches.