Electoral Bonds: After the details of electoral bonds became public, new information about it is coming out every day. It is also known from the details of the bonds which companies have given funding to which political parties through electoral bonds. In this series, the name of Chennai Super Kings has also appeared in the list of electoral bonds. Chennai Super Kings is run by a company named ‘Chennai Super Kings Cricket Limited’, whose parent organization is India Cement.
Former Indian team captain MS Dhoni is the current captain of Chennai Super Kings in IPL. The company that owns Dhoni’s team has given money to Tamil Nadu’s ‘All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’ i.e. AIADMK through electoral bonds. According to the report of The Hindu, AIADMK has received Rs 6.05 crore through electoral bonds. Most of this money came from Chennai Super Kings Cricket Limited (director of India Cement Limited).
How much money did Chennai Super Kings give to AIADMK?
‘Chennai Super Kings Cricket Limited’ provided funding of Rs 5 crore to AIADMK within two days. This money was given between April 2 and 4 in 2019. However, after this the party has not received any money from Chennai Super Kings. According to information shared with the Secretary of the Election Expenditure Division of the Election Commission, the party received Rs 1 crore from Coimbatore-based Lakshmi Machine Works Limited and Rs 5 lakh from Chennai-based Gopal Srinivasan as political donations.
Incidentally, the party had given the same information twice in 2019, once to its then coordinator O. Panneerselvam (after being expelled) and then in 2023 through its general secretary Edappadi K. Was also given through Palaniswami.
How much money did DMK get?
Important information has also come to light regarding Tamil Nadu’s ruling party DMK. DMK has received Rs 656.6 crore through electoral bonds. DMK has said that out of Rs 656.6 crore received through electoral bonds, it has received Rs 509 crore through Future Gaming and Hotel Services. Donations from Future Gaming and Hotel Services account for more than 77 percent of the total political donations received by DMK. The owner of this company, Santiago Martin, is also under the investigation of the Enforcement Directorate (ED).