Annamalai hits back at PTR on audio clip issue, to seek independent audit of voice tape

PTI, Apr 23, 2023, 10:23 AM IST

A day after Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan dismissed as ”fabricated” an audio clip where he is claimed to have made some comments about the DMK’s first family, the BJP’s state unit said it will seek an ”independent forensic audit” of the tape.

Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai, who had uploaded Rajan’s purported audio tape on his Twitter account a few days ago, challenged the minister to produce a tape with ”similar content but instead in my voice.”

In a statement, he said a delegation of BJP leaders will be meeting state Governor R N Ravi on Sunday ”seeking an independent forensic audit on the audio file.” PTR, as Rajan is addressed, had on Saturday dismissed as ”fabricated,” the audio clip in which he is claimed to have made certain comments about the ruling DMK’s first family.

While sharing the clip, Annamalai had claimed Rajan made some ‘revelation’ about the assets of DMK president and Chief Minister M K Stalin’s son Udhaynidhi and son-in-law Sabareesan. Since the minister ”is resting on an argument that this audio is fabricated, we challenge him to produce an audio clip with similar content but instead in my voice,” Annamalai said.

”We shall submit both audio samples to a court-monitored investigation and let the investigating agency ascertain the genuine nature of both audio clips,” he insisted. The BJP leader said he will submit his voice sample and expected PTR to do the same. Rajan should understand it is ”too big a case to be brushed under the carpet with weak statements posted as defence,” he added.

PTR had earlier described the audio clip as ”malicious, fabricated,” and asserted anyone could make such clips with the help of technology.