I-T raids in Tamil Nadu: 'Revenge politics' follows from Karnataka?
A day after the sudden I-T raids at a Karnataka’s JD(S) minister’s house, the Income Tax (I-T) department conducted a midnight raid at DMK member Durai Murugan’s residence, and college in Vellore and Katpadi.
In Karnataka, one person’s premises in three places were raided apparently targeting the Chief Minister’s son, leading to protests by JD(S). Durai Murugan, among the top leaders of the DMK, whose son is the candidate in Vellore, has alleged revenge politics by the Centre.
On the midnight of March 28, AMMK leader, TTV Dinakaran, who was staying in Kanchipuram after campaigning, was attempted to be raided by IT sleuths, sources say. However, the I-T officials did not go through with the search. Following this, on the mid night of 29th, DMK treasurer Durai Murugan and his son Kathir Anand’s houses in Vellore and Katpadi were raided by I-T officials. Anand, who is the DMK candidate from Vellore for the LS polls, owns an engineering college and teacher training college, both of which are being raided currently. The I-T officials seized a bag of documents from Anand’s house.
Sources say that I-T officials conducted this raid in Vellore based on a tip received from the Election Commission (EC) on handling of cash in excess of ₹10 lakh.
Chennai I-T investigators apparently traced the money trail and initiated searches in three locations of Chennai Corporation contractor, N Sabesan, of M/s Dowell Associates, early morning of March 28. I-T sleuths seized Rs 15.13 crore from his house and office at Keelkattalai and the house of his associate Saravanan. Since model code of conduct came into force, this was the biggest cash seizure in the state.
The I-T department had arrested JD(S) leader and realtor Prabahar Reddy S on March 27 after several notices sent to him were unanswered. Hours after that, I-T officials raided the house of minor irrigation minister CS Puttaraju at around 5 am on March 28. Puttaraju, who is the district in-charge of Mandya, oversees the campaign for HD Kumaraswamy’s son, Nikhil Kumaraswamy. In Hassan, I-T officers carried out the search in three places.
