42-year-old Boopalan is from Chinthamani village in Thirupoondi near Vedaranyam in Nagapattinam district. A lawyer by profession, he was a member of the executive committee of the TVK.
His wife is Premiya. On the 16th of last month, officials from the Central Revenue Intelligence conducted a surprise raid at the homes of Boopalan and his friend Sugan. The seizure of 137 kg of meth, a narcotic worth Rs 100 crore, shocked many.
In this case, officers from the Central Revenue Intelligence Department arrested Boopalan, Sugan, Manikandan, and Satheeshkumar and lodged them in Trichy Central Prison.
Meanwhile, information that Velankanni woman police officer Sangeetha and Velankanni DSP Nixon’s car driver Siva were also involved in this has caused a stir in police circles. Following this, both were transferred to Thanjavur.
It is ridiculous to say that we ordinary police officers are involved in the smuggling worth Rs. 100 crore. Some people have deliberately spread this. Sangeetha had been complaining that the release of such information had caused her severe mental distress. Meanwhile, no information about the meth smuggling investigation leaked out, and things remained quiet.
Officials from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence had been quietly continuing their investigation into those connected to Bhoopalan. They questioned 26 people, including Bhoopalan’s wife Premia, at the Trichy office. It was said that the investigation had been intensified using 100 CCTV recordings and 200 mobile phone conversations. Information also emerged that another key TVK figure, like Bhoopalan, might be involved in this. It was being discussed that there would be several dramatic twists in this case after Diwali.
Meanwhile, behind Bhoopalan’s house in Chinthamani there is a pond used for fish farming. It is said that during questioning, Bhoopalan stated that meth had been buried beneath that pond. Following this, Central Revenue Intelligence officials who came to Bhoopalan’s house this evening are draining the water from the pond. Armed police have been deployed in front of Bhoopalan’s house for security, causing a stir.
We spoke to people familiar with the matter: ''Bhoopalan had gone to prison in a cannabis smuggling case. His name keeps cropping up in many illegal activities. By appearing for those caught in smuggling cases and getting them out on bail, he developed a close friendship with smugglers.
Using this acquaintance, he himself began to make a mark in smuggling. Following this, Bhoopalan, who came from a normal family, became wealthy over the past six years.
Boopalan’s bungalow in Chinthamani is worth several crores. A huge compound wall several feet high surrounds the house, preventing outsiders from entering. No one outside knows what goes on inside. At the back of the house, he had set up a fish pond and was engaged in fish farming. It is only called a fish pond in name. It had already been rumored that smuggled goods were being hidden inside it.
It is said that Boopalan told the officers of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence that he had dug under the pond and buried meth worth several crores there. Following this, officers from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, who arrived in Nagai this evening, questioned several people.
They also had the water in the pond drained with the help of some people. One side says that meth had been buried under the pond, while another says that before he was arrested, Boopalan threw the cellphone he had been using to speak only with important people into the pond.
It is also being said from the other side that they are doing this in order to retrieve the cellphone, since if that phone is found, it would be possible to identify who all are involved in this smuggling operation.
They say that nothing was found in the Central Revenue Intelligence officials’ search. This incident has created a stir in the Nagai region.