Annamalai dares CM to book him for releasing ‘PTR audio tapes’

CHENNAI: BJP state president K Annamalai dared Chief Minister MK Stalin to file defamation case for releasing the audio tape of Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan and said he is ready to submit the original audio tapes of the Minister in the court.

“The Tamil Nadu government has filed a case against me on charges of making defamatory statements against the CM. Similarly, I want the CM to move the court to file yet another case in connection with the audio tape of Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan. So that, I can submit the original tapes that run for an hour to the court,” Annamalai told reporters at Kamalalayam on Friday.

Criticising the CM for divesting PTR from the finance portfolio, he said that the Minister did not commit anything wrong, but he exposed the wrongdoing of the CM’s family. “I did not release the second and third part of the tape as I don’t want him (PTR) to be used as a pawn in the issue,” he said and noted that an independent inquiry into the audio tape issue is a must.

Welcoming the move of removing SM Nasar from the Cabinet, he wondered the reasons behind inducting TRB Rajaa as Industries Minister and dubbed it “dynasty” politics. It would favour Rajaa’s family members, who own several industries.

The part II of the ‘DMK Files’ would be released in the first week of July and it would deal with 21 DMK senior leaders and Ministers, he said.

When questioned whether he would also release ‘AIADMK Files,’ the former IPS officer skirted away from the issue by stating that “wait and watch.”

“You (reporters) can ask this question when the second part of the DMK Files is released,” he said.