The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday (February 2) raided six places in Tamil Nadu linked to the residences of several functionaries of the state-based Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) party based on inputs that they received funds from the LTTE organisation. The places where searches were carried out included those of NTK functionary and YouTuber Saatai Duraimurugan and others, sources said. The raids were conducted at the residences of NTK office bearers in Trichy, Coimbatore, Sivaganga and Tenkasi and other locations in possible laundering of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) funds.
The case being investigated by NIA is connected with the revival of banned organisation LTTE. Apart from Saatai Duraimurugan, premises of another NTK supporter and YouTuber Thennagam Vishnu was also searched by the NIA in close coordination with state police force, sources said.
In June last year, the NIA filed a chargesheet against 13 persons, including three Indian and 10 Lankan nationals, in the India-Sri Lanka illegal drugs and arms trade case relating to attempts to revive the LTTE, a militant organisation, which once sought to create an independent Tamil state in the north and east of Sri Lanka.
The chargesheeted men had conspired with the accused in the Vizhinjam Arms case for exploiting the illegal drugs trade in India and Sri Lanka for funding, amassing, and stashing weapons for the revival of LTTE in India and Sri Lanka.
The NIA filed the case suo moto on July 8 last year and arrested 13 persons.
(With ANI inputs)
