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By Shilpa Nair: Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai, whose Bell & Ross limited edition Rafale watch sparked a controversy due to its cost, produced its bill on Friday. The BJP leader said he purchased the Rafale limited edition watch from one of his friends from Coimbatore.
Annamalai showed the bill to reporters and said the Rafale watch was first bought by Cheralathan Ramakrishnan in Coimbatore at a cost of Rs 4.5 lakhs in March, 2021. Annamalai claimed he later bought the watch from Cheralathan at a cost of Rs 3 lakh in May, 2021.
Addressing the press conference, Annamalai said he knew Cheralathan Ramakrishnan for two years.
The issue of Annamalai wearing a limited edition Rafale watch was flagged by the DMK. During a press meet in Chennai in January, Annamalai said he would produce the bill for the watch on April 14.
Tamil Nadu minister Senthil Balaji had questioned how a man who claimed to own only four goats was wearing this watch, asking Annamalai to share the receipt.
ALSO READ | How can a man who owns only 4 goats wear a Rs 5 lakh watch: DMK attacks Annamalai
DMK SAYS DIFFERENCE IN SERIAL NUMBERS
Meanwhile, the ruling party DMK took to Twitter to flag off “discrepancies” in the Rafale bill. DMK spokesperson R Rajiv Gandhi tweeted that there was a difference in serial numbers between the watch purchased by Cheralathan and later by Annamalai.
DMK claimed there was a mismatch in the model number of the Rafale watch as mentioned in the bill copy and purchase receipt produced by Annamalai.
The tweet says the model number of watch purchased by Cheralathan Ramakrishnan from Zimsons Times Pvt Limited, is mentioned as BRO394CBl147. Whereas, on the receipt of the purchase of the watch by Annamalai from Cheralathan, the model number is mentioned as BRO394DAR147.
Earlier in the day, Annamalai held a press conference where he alleged that the DMK was becoming a part of a global money laundering business and Chief Minister MK Stalin has taken Rs 200 crore from foreign shell companies. These allegations and counter charges began with the DMK questioning Annamalai over his limited edition Rafale watch, the state BJP chief said.
ALSO READ | BJP vs DMK in Tamil Nadu over limited edition Rafale watch, Rs 200 crore ‘bribe’
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