AIADMK MLA Amman K. Arjunan booked on charges of acquiring disproportionate assets worth ₹2.76 crore

The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) has registered a case against AIADMK’s Coimbatore North MLA Amman K. Arjunan and his wife A. Vijayalakshmi under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) has registered a case against AIADMK’s Coimbatore North MLA Amman K. Arjunan and his wife A. Vijayalakshmi under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The agency has accused the couple of acquiring assets valued at ₹2,75,78,962 that were disproportionate to their known sources of income between May 21, 2016, and March 31, 2022.

The case was registered by Inspector of Police, Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, M. Vijayalakshmi. The agency said Mr. Arjunan, a resident of Thiru Nagar on Sundakamuthur Road in Coimbatore, had, during his tenures as a legislator representing Coimbatore North and Coimbatore South constituencies, acquired properties and pecuniary resources in his name, that of his son A. Gopalakrishnan, and their family members, which were disproportionate to his known sources of income. Searches were conducted by a DVAC team at his residence.

The legislator, who hailed from Madurai, is the son of a farmer. He also held the post of AIADMK secretary of Coimbatore city and district units. He was a public servant as defined under Section 2(c) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, amended in 2018, the report submitted by the DVAC before the Special Court for the trial of cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act, Coimbatore, stated.

Gopalakrishnan, who was holding the post of district joint secretary of the AIADMK in the technical section and looked after the political and public affairs of his father, died on September 3, 2023.

As per the affidavit he had filed before the Election Commission of India (ECI) on April 28, 2016, as a contestant in the general election, the value of his assets was ₹2,30,67,109 (cash balance at bank, jewels, motor vehicles, house sites, insurance policies, investments, and buildings, etc). At the end of check period on March 31, 2022, the value of assets was determined at ₹5,96,70,908.

While the income derived in his name and those of his family members was found to be ₹3,87,38,542 (in the form of bank loans, bank interest, and income from salary), the expenses incurred during the check period (in the form of household expenses, payment of income tax, and repayment of loans) was arrived at ₹2,97,13,705.

The value of assets acquired and held by him in his name and those of his family members was ₹3,66,03,799, and likely savings during the check period was calculated at ₹90,24,837. The percentage of disproportionate assets was calculated approximately at 71.19 percent by the DVAC.