Former DMK minister KN Nehru arrested

Chennai: Former DMK minister KN Nehru has been arrested on charges of land grab in Trichy on Thursday. He is accused of forcing a doctor to sell his 13000 sq ft plot of land.

Nehru, known to be a loyalist of DMK Treasurer MK Stalin, becomes the third minister in the previous DMK regime to be taken into custody in the continuing crackdown by the AIADMK government on land grabbing. The other two being Veerapandi S Arumugam and NKKP Raja.

Nehru was arrested along with party functionary Anbil Periasamy, Police Commissioner Masanamuthu said.

He said as per a complaint by K Srinivasan of Turaiyur near here, Nehru had allegedly taken 13290 sqft of his land at Chinamani in Tiruchi for construction of DMK party office, by forcibly obtaining his signature and "misusing" official power.

His aged father had also been beaten up badly in the process, Masanamuthu, quoting the complaint, said.

Two other DMK men, including a Textile businessman, were being questioned in connection with the case.

The complainant said he had not been paid even a paisa after the land was taken over by Nehru.

The commissioner said city Deputy Mayor Anbazhagan, allegedly involved in the case, was absconding for the past few days and police were searching for him.

Nehru, who is also party's district secretary, and Periyasamy have been detained at the KK Nagar Police Station for interrogation, he said.

Besides Nehru and Periyasamy, cases have also been filed against six others including Nehru's brother Ramajayam and former MLA Rani. Of the six, one person is already in prison under the Goondas Act.

Apart from Nehru Arumugam and Raja, two other DMK members - former information minister and deputy general secretary of the DMK Paruthi Ilamvazhuthi and Karunanidhi's son Stalin's right hand man J Anbhazhagan are also facing land grabbing charges along with MK Alagiri's wife Kanthi Alagiri.

Kanthi Alagiri bought land from lottery king Santiago Martin after Karunanidhi's son Alagiri became Union Minister. Moreover, the land belongs to a temple and as per law cannot even be sold. Yet it is now part of the Alagiri family property.

(With additional information from PTI)