A day after the arrest of Jaffar Sadiq by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Tamil Nadu Law Minister S Regupathy on Sunday, March 10 said that the state government will initiate action against him. Sadiq was a former member of the DMK party. He was the Deputy Organiser of the NRI Wing. Following allegations of drug smuggling, he was removed from the party on February 25.
Addressing the media on Sunday, Regupathy said “All required action will be taken. We will not help him nor save him. We will bring him before the law and ensure he is punished.”
Stating that the DMK party was not aware of Sadiq’s activities, Regupathy said that the party has already expelled him. “We will be happy if the Union government conducts its investigation into him with the necessary evidence,” the Law Minister said.
Accusing the BJP of trying to defame the DMK, MP P Wilson said that the party would initiate civil and criminal proceedings if unverified allegations are being made. Earlier, BJP Tamil Nadu president Annamalai alleged that Sadiq used his NRI wing post to cultivate international contacts for his drug cartel.
“Some people are unnecessarily alleging connections [between the drug ring] and the DMK and the party’s leaders. We are also a little suspicious as to why the NCB’s Deputy Director [Gyaneshwar Singh] gave a press conference when the investigation is still at a preliminary stage, that too during election season.”
“Such interviews are being given in order to defame the party. If anyone continues to make such comments against DMK or the party’s leaders, without even basic evidence, we will take both civil and criminal proceedings against them,” Wilson said.
Sadiq’s criminal activities came to light in February after the Customs Office in New Delhi caught three individuals from Tamil Nadu with pseudoephedrine, a component required in the production of methamphetamine. Further investigation revealed that Sadiq and his brother were operating the drug business from Chennai.
Sadiq who was absconding for several days was arrested by the authorities on March 9.
According to the NCB, Sadiq was smuggling drugs to New Zealand and Australia as well.