Amid the ongoing conflict between the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Tamil Nadu’s Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) following the arrest of ED official Ankit Tiwari, the Madurai city police have registered a case against the central agency officials for preventing DVAC authorities from discharging their duties. 

The FIR has been registered in the Thallakulam police station based on a complaint filed by the DVAC officials, who alleged that they were prevented from discharging their duties while carrying out searches at the Madurai ED sub-zonal office after Ankit’s arrest. 

ED officials had earlier registered a complaint against the DVAC authorities, accusing them of stealing sensitive documents from its sub-zonal office. Following the arrest of Ankit, who was caught accepting a bribe of Rs 20 lakh from a government doctor near Dindigul, the DVAC authorities raided the ED office and his residence. Ankit was arrested under section 7(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. 

While DVAC maintained that it carried out searches after obtaining permission from the court, ED claimed that 35 people entered its office premises. Subsequently, ED on December 2, filed a complaint with the Director General of Police, seeking to file a case against the DVAC officials. The ED alleged that the raid was “illegal.” It accused the DVAC of criminal trespass, theft and illegal access to various sensitive and confidential records pertaining to ongoing investigations.

Meanwhile, sources said that the Madurai city police has issued a summons to the ED assistant director, asking him to appear before them. 

Recently, Ankit had approached the Madras High Court seeking bail in the case. However, his plea was rejected after the state’s Public Prosecutor argued that there was credible evidence of corruption against the ED official.