Chennai, October 20, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Tuesday demanded an explanation from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay over the alleged involvement of a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) functionary in a major narcotics seizure in Nagapattinam district, questioning the ruling party’s commitment to combating drugs.
In a statement, Palaniswami referred to the reported seizure of 137 kg of processed methamphetamine crystals, estimated to be worth around Rs 400 crore, from a person identified as Boobalan, whom he described as a TVK functionary from the district.
Citing a press release issued by the Union Finance Ministry regarding the operation, the opposition leader described the seizure as one of the largest narcotics hauls reported along Tamil Nadu’s coastal belt in recent years.
Palaniswami questioned why Vijay had remained silent over the allegations involving a person reportedly associated with his party. He demanded that the Chief Minister clarify his position on the seizure and Boobalan’s alleged political connection.
The AIADMK leader also drew a comparison with the case involving former DMK functionary Jaffer Sadiq, who was arrested by central agencies during the previous government’s tenure in connection with an alleged international drug trafficking network. The case involved pseudoephedrine, a chemical used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.
Referring to the earlier case, Palaniswami questioned how successive ruling parties had responded when allegations of narcotics trafficking involved individuals linked to them.
Turning to the latest seizure, he expressed concern over the reported recovery of processed methamphetamine crystals and questioned the credibility of the state government’s anti-drug awareness initiatives.
He specifically cited an anti-drug marathon organised by Vijay and asked how the government could promote such campaigns while a ruling party functionary was allegedly linked to a narcotics seizure of this scale.
Palaniswami’s criticism focused on what he described as a gap between the government’s public messaging against drug abuse and its response to allegations involving its own party members.
He called on the Chief Minister to respond publicly to the reported seizure and clarify Boobalan’s alleged association with the TVK.
The statement placed the Nagapattinam operation at the centre of the opposition’s criticism of the government’s anti-narcotics campaign. No response from Vijay or the TVK was included in the material cited by Palaniswami. The allegations against Boobalan, including his reported party affiliation, remain attributed to Palaniswami’s account.
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