CHENNAI: Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday carried out searches in six places linked to film producer C Alagappan in Chennai and Madurai in connection with a cheating case involving actor-turned-politician Gautami Tadimalla.ED took over the investigation to probe the money-laundering angle last year based on seven first information reports registered by Tamil Nadu police. Gautami too had appeared before ED as part of the investigation.Simultaneous searches were launched on Wednesday targeting Algappan’s office, houses and other properties under the Prevention of Money-Laundering Act (PMLA) to probe the accused’s foreign investments.The original cases pertain to fraud to the tune of ₹13.8 crore and Gautami had complained that film producer C Alagappan, who had been entrusted with management of her properties, and his family members fraudulently transferred Gautami’s assets in their names.Based on her complaints, cases were registered against Alagappan in different police stations and police arrested him in 2023 after their anticipatory bails were rejected.Gautami quit as a BJP member in 2023 and joined AIADMK and was appointed as propaganda secretary. She recently dissociated from AIADMK and resigned from primary membership of the party.In another search operation as part of the money- laundering probe into the Ponzi scheme, ED said it has seized incriminating evidence against the firm Unique Exports and others. The searches were conducted at eight business and residential premises located at Chennai, Erode, Coimbatore and Krishnagiri districts on Tuesday.“Digital devices such as laptops, pen drives and mobile phones were recovered and seized. Incriminating documents related to the ponzi scheme and immovable property investments were also recovered and seized,” said ED.Unique Exports and its associates duped hundreds of investors on the pretext of investment in a business of export of agricultural produce such as onion, potato and other items promising returns of more than 200% within a short period of time.
