ED issues fresh summons to TVK leader and ex-AIADMK minister C Vijayabaskar in assets case

Former Tamil Nadu state minister C Vijayabaskar has been issued a fresh set of summons in connection with an alleged disproportionate assets case, people aware of the development at the Enforcement Directorate in Chennai said on Tuesday.C Vijayabaskar was appointed as the district organisational secretary of Pudukottai by TVK founder and chief minister C Joseph Vijay. (PTI File)This is the second time that the senior politician has been issued summons to appear before the investigating agency.Vijayabaskar was a minister in the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government and had won the 2026 assembly elections on the party's ticket. Later, he tendered his resignation as an MLA and formally joined the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). He was appointed as the district organisational secretary of Pudukottai by TVK founder and chief minister C Joseph Vijay.Asked to appear next weekC Vijayabaskar was asked to appear before the agency sometime next week, an official said on Tuesday, without sharing further details.Agency officials stated that the probe stems from assets he allegedly accumulated during his tenure as health and family welfare minister in the AIADMK government from 2016 to 2021.The first round of summons was issued to him in March 2024, after surprise inspections were carried out at his residences in Chennai and Pudukottai.When HT reached out to Vijayabaskar, he did not respond to calls or messages seeking his comments on the summons. It is pertinent to mention that he undertook a roadshow and also distributed welfare schemes to people in Pudukottai on November 2 (Monday).