MADURAI: A special team of Central Crime Branch (CCB) of Madurai city police arrested P Ponvasanth (49), the husband of Madurai Mayor Indirani in Chennai on Tuesday evening in connection with the alleged `200-crore property tax scam.
Pon Vasanth, who was secretary of DMK’s Madurai - Arapalayam unit, was suspended for “anti-party” activities on May 29.
Earlier in the day, Central Crime Branch (CCB) police arrested the former assistant commissioner of Madurai city corporation in connection with the property tax scam case. Sources said K Suresh Kumar (57) was arrested in Thoothukudi, where he is currently working as assistant commissioner in the corporation, and remanded to custody.
Sources said Suresh Kumar was arrested after police found evidence linking him to the case. He was in-charge of the revenue section of Madurai city corporation during the period when the alleged scam worth several crores of rupees had taken place. Madurai Range DIG Dr Abhinav Kumar is leading the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the issue, following directions from the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court.
The scam relates to officials misusing their powers and reducing property tax valuation of over hundred commercial buildings which resulted in loss of several crores to the civic body. The fraud came to light during an audit following which the then corporation commissioner Dinesh Kumar lodged a complaint with the city police on September 6 last year, seeking an investigation.
Investigation by CCB-II police revealed the fraud had taken place between April 1, 2022, and July 31, 2024. So far, 13 people have been arrrested. Five zonal chairpersons and two chairpersons of standing committees have resigned. The corporation has suspended more than 15 workers including bill collectors and data entry operators.