Chennai: IT raids at Duraimurugan's premises
Chennai, Apr 1 (UNI) Officials of the Income-tax department on Monday continued their searches at the premises belonging to DMK Treasurer Duraimurugan and his son and Vellore Lok Sabha candidate Kathir Anand, even as they moved the Madras High Court against it.
Official sources said the searches were conducted at the premises of Duraimurugan since Saturday and also at engineering college run by his educational trust.
When counsel for Kathir Anand approached the Madras High Court against the raids saying it was aimed at scuttling his campaigning, Justice Ms Anita Sumant promised to take it up on Tuesday if it was filed in the form of a petition.
The raids, which began on Duraimurugan’s residence in Katpadi also covered a farm houses of an associate as well as an engineering college run by his educational trust.
Officials seized Rs 19 lakh cash of which they allowed Rs six lakh as that of his son Kathir Anand and another Rs three lakh as belonging to his family members. They calculated Rs 10.5 lakh as unaccounted and seized it.
They also seized documents from the engineering college managed by Kathir Anand in Vellore.
In a related development, Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo told reporters here that the Election Commission of India (ECI) would take a call on postponing the polls in Vellore.
He said the Income-Tax department's report about the seizures would be sent to the ECI which would take a decision.
He also said the raids were conducted at the request of the Vellore district election officer and it was based on information.
Sahoo said ''we have to see how of much of the cash seized is party money and how much is the candidate’s. Only then, action, if any, can be considered”.
Meanwhile, alliance partners of the DMK-led Front, condemned the raids and said it was threatening tactics of the Centre.
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