CHENNAI/PUDUKOTTAI: The Income Tax department invoked a newly-introduced provision to provisionally attach a 100-acre quarry owned by Tamil Nadu Health Minister C Vijaya Basker in order “to protect the interest of the revenue”. Sources told Express that they invoked the new provision that empowers them to provisionally attach the property of an assessee for six months either at the time of search and seizure, or till sixty days from that date.
The license for the quarry owned by Rasi Blue Metals in Thiruvenkaivasal, about five kms from Pudukkottai town, is in the name of SA Subbiah of Karadikkadu near Annavasal. However, local sources said it is owned by minister Vijaya Basker’s father Chinnathambi. While the staff at the quarry remained tight-lipped about the development, the security personnel posted there were seen turning away about 10 lorries that had come there to pick up blue metal and crusher loads.
The minister, who is in Delhi to meet Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in connection with NEET, was not available for comment, while sources at his native said his family was away from home since morning. Vijaya Basker had also come under IT radar this year. He is also under the scanner for alleged link to illegal sale of gutka.This new provision, official sources from Income Tax said, was used so that the assessee would not be able to liquidate the property.