In fresh trouble from the Central agency, a sitting DMK Minister had witnessed his assets worth Rs 6.5 crore going under the control of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is India's premier economic intelligence agency. The development has come in connection with the money laundering case against the minister. 

According to reports, ED has attached the assets that belong to Anitha R Radhakrishnan, who is serving as the Tamil Nadu Minister for Fisheries in the DMK government. In a tweet, the Central agency has said, "ED has provisionally attached assets having guidance value of Rs 6.5 crore of Anitha R Radhakrishnan, Minister for Fisheries- Fishermen Welfare and Animal Husbandry, Govt of Tamil Nadu and his family members under PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act), 2002 in a disproportionate assets case." 

The development has happened on Wednesday - February 2 and the Central agency has said that a provisional order for attachment of 18 immovable properties, including 160 acres of land and residential properties worth Rs 1 crore acquired by Anitha Radhakrishnan during the check period of May 14, 2001 to March 31, 2006 in the name of his family members has been issued. 

Radhakrishnan has been representing the Tiruchendur constituency in the current assembly and he had appeared before the ED in September 2021, becoming the first minister in MK Stalin's cabinet to face charges from the Centrall agency. He appeared before the agency after a disproportionate asset case was registered against him by the state Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption in 2006. 

In its statement, the ED has further said that it has initiated a money-laundering investigation on the basis of an FIR registered by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, Thoothukudi detachment, against Anitha Radhakrishnan, under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for amassing assets that are disproportionate to his income sources to the tune of Rs 2 crore. The guideline value of the attached properties is around Rs 6.5 crore.