1. Twin hooch tragedies | Toll climbs up to 21; EPS meets victims at Villupuram hospital
The death toll in the twin hooch consumption tragedies touched 21, as the incident has claimed the lives of 14 persons at Marakkanam in Villupuram district and seven persons at Maduranthakam in Chengalpattu district so far.
AIADMK general secretary and Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami met the victims of spurious liquor consumption, who are undergoing treatment at the Government Villupuram Medical College and Hospital. Later addressing journalists, he charged the ruling DMK with failure to prevent the manufacture and supply of illicit liquor, resulting in the death of at least 21 persons in Villupuram and Chengalpattu districts since Friday.
Minister for Higher Education K. Ponmudy and Minister for Minorities’ Welfare and Non-resident Tamils’ Welfare Gingee K.S. Masthan handed over a solatium of ₹10 lakh each to the families of 13 persons (the toll has since risen to 14), who died in Marakkanam. With four more arrests made today, a total of five persons have been held in connection with the Marakkanam incident.
2. SC allows ED to initiate proceedings against Minister Senthilbalaji
The Supreme Court has paved the way for the Crime Branch investigation to continue against Tamil Nadu Minister V. Senthilbalaji, who is accused of taking bribes in exchange for jobs in the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC), during his tenure as Transport Minister as part of AIADMK regime between 2011 and 2015.
Further, the apex court also gave the green signal for the initiation of proceedings by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in related money laundering charges against the Minister.
A Bench of Justices Krishna Murari and V. Ramasubramanian set aside a Madras High Court order of October 31 last year, directing de novo or fresh investigation against the Minister. “The investigation officer is to proceed with further investigation in all cases,” the court ordered.
3. AIADMK’s amended constitution hosted on ECI website
The Election Commission of India (ECI), has published on its website, the text of the amended constitution of the AIADMK.
Earlier on April 20, the ECI had sent a communication to the party’s general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami that it had taken on record the text of the amended constitution.
One principal feature of the amended constitution is that those desiring to contest for the post of general secretary should have been members of the party for 10 years; should have been an office-bearer of the party headquarters for five years and the candidate’s name should have been proposed by 10 district secretaries and seconded by 10 district secretaries, both of whom should be exclusive of each other.
At this juncture, a meeting of the party’s district secretaries has been convened. Chaired by Mr. Palaniswami, it is to be held at Chennai tomorrow evening.
4. Coimbatore chain snatching in car | Two men arrested
A day after the video of car-borne men snatching the chain of a woman who was out for a morning walk went viral, the Coimbatore City Police arrested a taxi driver and his friend for attempting the robbery.
