AIADMK, BJP mount attack on DMK over Jaffer Sadiq’s role in smuggling
Sadiq was the Chennai West deputy organiser of the DMK’s NRI wing and the party had expelled him last Sunday without mentioning any reason
The opposition parties in Tamil Nadu, including All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday slammed the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam(DMK)-led state government over the now expelled party member and Chennai-based film producer A K Jaffer Sadiq’s alleged involvement in international drug smuggling ring.
Sadiq was the Chennai West deputy organiser of the DMK’s NRI wing and the party had expelled him last Sunday without mentioning any reason. “Since reports said drug smuggling charges, we did not wait for action,” a senior DMK leader said requesting anonymity.
A DMK functionary was also booked on Friday for attacking a local media personnel, on Thursday, covering the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) raid at Sadiq’s house in Chennai. Criticising the MK Stalin-led government AIADMK’s general secretary Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) said:“Tamil Nadu is becoming a haven for drug smugglers.”“It is shameful for the DMK to have a functionary involved in a drug racket.” He sought political accountability and a thorough investigation.
On February 15, the Delhi Police and the NCB had raided a godown in Delhi during which Sadiq’s involvement in the smuggling ring that was moving pseudoephedrine to Australia and New Zealand disguised as health-mix powder, came to the fore. The police arrested three people from Tamil Nadu identified as Mukesh, Mujibur Rahman and Ashok Kumar who had allegedly named Sadiq.
BJP state president K Annamalai on Friday said that it isn’t enough if Sadiq was just dismissed and that other suspects in the DMK and the film industry must be probed.
“International drug lord and a DMK functionary Jaffar Sadiq is on the run; NCB is raiding DMK functionaries’ establishments, ₹1200 crore worth en route to Tamil Nadu caught off the coast of Gujarat and today 30kg methamphetamine was caught in transit in Madurai by directorate of revenue intelligence,” Annamalai said.
Chennai police on Friday registered a case against DMK functionary Kalaichelvan for allegedly attacking a camera person Senthil Kumar belonging to a Tamil vernacular media, said officials.
While a lookout notice has been issued against Sadiq, Tamil film director Ameer who is said to be involved in a restaurant business with Sadiq and is directing a movie which the accused is producing, issued a statement saying that shooting for the film has stopped. “If there is any truth in the allegations... he should be condemned and punished,” the director said.
