Udhagamandalam, May 14 (PTI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday asserted that the guilty would get appropriate punishment in the Kodanad estate heist-murder case as well, like the Pollachi case, in which all the nine accused were convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for the rest of their lives.
On the Pollachi sexual assault case verdict, Stalin recalled that he had assured even before the 2019 Parliamentary polls that perpetrators of the crime, howsoever influential they may be, would be punished. "That has happened," he told reporters here.
The CM said he had years ago remarked that "Polla atchikku pollachiye satchi," which means that the Pollachi incident evidenced the "wicked rule." It was a reference to the AIADMK regime during 2017-2021, when Edappadi K Palaniswami was the chief minister.
Stalin said Palaniswami was merely claiming that he was responsible for the guilty getting punishment in the Pollachi case.
The chief minister said Palaniswami recently visited Union Home Minister Amit Shah. "The nation knows the reason for him meeting Shah," hinting that it was for stitching an alliance with the BJP.
While this was the case, Palaniswami claimed that he had batted for release of funds to Tamil Nadu for MGNREGA and Metro Rail phase-2 as well, during his Delhi visit. "Humbug, lies and trickery; these are Palaniswami's work. People are very much aware of this," he said.
To a question, Stalin said the guilty would get appropriate punishment in the Kodanad estate heist-murder case as well, like the Pollachi case, in which all the nine accused were convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for the rest of their lives.
On AIADMK leader Sellur Raju's comment allegedly asking whether Army jawans fought at the border, the chief minister dismissed the comment, saying "he is a clown; there is no need to magnify it."
Praising Operation Sindoor, Stalin said a rally was held in support of the armed forces under his leadership days ago in Chennai.
Palaniswami, hitting back at the chief minister, wondered as to why the CM was taking credit for the guilty getting punished in the Pollachi case.
"In the Pollachi case, it was the AIADMK government that made the arrest, and shifted the case to CBI for probe; CBI probed it and the verdict has been delivered by the court," Palaniswami said and asked what role the DMK-led state government and Chief Minister Stalin played in the case.
The top AIADMK leader slammed the DMK government over sexual assault cases, including the Anna varsity student case.
In the Kodanad case also, the FIR was registered, the accused were arrested and charge sheet was filed by the AIADMK government.
However, in this case, it was an advocate belonging to the DMK who appeared for the accused. Also, those who stood surety for the accused when bail was granted belonged to the DMK, the leader of opposition alleged and wanted to know the "nexus."
Further, Stalin lamented that him batting for release of funds to the state was a humbug. The biggest humbug was the "governance" claim of the DMK during the past 4 years, Palaniswami alleged.
Whether in or out of power, it is the AIADMK that has secured the rights of Tamil Nadu; be it the river water or financial rights of the state. "Whenever I meet the Central ministers, I speak on the state's welfare, I get funds for the state and that is my sentiment for Tamil Nadu," he said.
All along, Palaniswami said Stalin had mocked at him asking if he could secure funds from the Centre to State and when this was actually done, the chief minister shifted to denial mode. "Is this not trickery? the AIADMK chief asked.