Horlicks Thief -Union Minister Alagiri

After WikiLeaks in US, Horlicks in Tamil Nadu

J Gopikrishnan | New Delhi- Daily Pioneer

Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers MK Alagiri is embroiled in a fresh controversy – Horlicks scandal. The Minister recently distributed about 9,000 packets of Horlicks as freebies at a medical camp. The Horlicks packets are now being allegedly linked to robbery of the health drink packets being transported from Haryana on a truck six days before the medical camp. The truck was looted close to the medical camp site in Andipatti in Tamil Nadu.

Initially refusing to act on the complaint about the loot, the Tamil Nadu Police was forced to register a case on the direction of the high court, which asked the police to report within two months.

On July 18, in connection with the celebrations of Tamil Nadu CM M Karunanidhi’s birthday, Alagiri was the chief guest at a grand medical camp organised in AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa’s constituency, Andipatti. In the function, Alagiri distributed 9,000 packets with Karunanidhi’s and his pictures on them.

The controversy erupted when a container truck owner complained about the robbery of his cargo containing 9,000 Horlicks packets six days before the camp. On July 12, near where the medical camp was conducted, the cargo was looted on the highway. It had originated from Haryana and Tamil Nadu police was hesitant to register the truck owner’s complaint .

The truck owner approached the HC, which ordered the police to register the complaint in two hours and report back within two months. It also directed that the investigation should be conducted by DySP rank officer from another district. The truck owner has pleaded that the batch numbers of the Horlicks packets robbed should be compared with those distributed freely in the medical camp.

Reacting to the developments, AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa demanded a CBI probe, alleging the role of Alagiri in the cargo robbery.

“What was the reason behind the police inspector refusing to accept the complaint? The people were of the view that the Horlicks bottles might have been stolen on the orders of Alagiri and distributed to the people of Andipatti at the function conducted on July 18,” Jayalalithaa stated.

“This incident reminded one of the Tamil proverb about stealing coconuts for offering them to a roadside deity. People doubt that Union Minister and the minority DMK Government’s Chief Minister Karunanidhi’s son, Alagiri, was connected with the theft. It would be best to order a probe by the CBI into the matter,” she added.

Responses