Scam accused on the run gets posting in Tamil Nadu BJP

CHENNAI: Nearly two weeks after the state economic offences wing booked BJP worker K Harish on charges of cheating depositors, the party’s Tamil Nadu unit has appointed him state secretary of sports and development cell. He is one of the directors of a gold trading firm who went underground after the EOW registered a case in the last week of May in connection with a multi-crore cheating scam.
State president of the sports and development cell S Amar Prasad Reddy had issued a statement on June 2 regarding Harish’s appointment along with a few other functionaries. Meanwhile, the EOW sleuths have launched a search for Harish, who is absconding from May 24, and three others.
When contacted, Reddy termed it “political vendetta”. “It (case) is political vendetta as he actively participated in party activities and mobilised sports personalities,” said Reddy. Harish was neither reachable nor had he accepted the party posting until now, he said, adding that the BJP would take appropriate steps after Harish gave a clarification.
Reddy said Harish was a sportsman and he joined the party a long time ago. “We were not aware of the nature of Harish’s business. He was inducted into the party and given responsibility based on his reputation as a sports personality.” Harish is the state president of the TN state amateur kickboxing association, which is a body recognized, both by state and the Centre. “We took that as a benchmark to give him the responsibility as state secretary,” said Reddy.