Few details emerge as tax raids on Sasikala aides enter day three

Searches on in the house of Jaya TV managing director Vivek Jayaraman; Dhinakaran reiterates vendetta charge

A view of Phoenix Marketcity at Velachery, where Jazz Cinemas is located. (Express Photo Service | Ashwin Prasath)

CHENNAI: The Income Tax (I-T) raids continued for the third day against the aides and relatives of jailed AIADMK leader V K Sasikala and ousted AIADMK leader T T V Dhinakaran, but tax authorities refused to give details of the seizures effected.

However, I-T sources said the raids that had initially covered around 200 places, zeroed in on 40 places. Raids at most of the places ended on Friday night, officials said, adding that they would issue a summons for verifications. and further investigations.

While the focus of the Operation Clean Money Drive has been on shell companies, bank deposits after demonetisation and tax evasion, it is learnt that there has been no let-up in the investigations against Jaya TV and Midas office near Tambaram.

Raids continued in the house of Vivek Jayaraman, managing director of Jaya TV and son of Ilavarasi, the wife of the brother of Sasikala. Raids also continued at the residence of his sister Krishna Priya. While officials have confirmed seizure of incriminating documents, speculation is rife over the seizure of valuables without any confirmation.

The officials held a closed-door meeting on Friday to prepare the strategy, as officials cut off calls and some refused to talk. An official confided that the raid was so huge that they had lost count of the places. “We are compiling the places that have been raided,” a senior official said. While it is claimed that more than 60 shell companies have been identified, there has been no confirmation of the news.
TTV puts up a brave face

A visibly unruffled T T V Dhinakaran told reporters that he could only vouch for himself as the I-T raids continued for the third consecutive day in various locations across the State. He said he could not vouch for his aides and family members. “If there are financial irregularities, the Income Tax raid would unearth them,” he said.

Addressing reporters outside his house at Adyar, which is among the very few locations linked to the family that has been spared, he denied rumours of ‘secret tunnels’ in his farmhouse in Villupuram, which was raided by I-T sleuths. “I welcome the raids, but the timing of raids and the magnitude are suspect,” he said. Calling it an act of political vendetta, Dhinakaran said without naming the BJP that their ploy to destabilise the “ones trying to save the AIADMK” would not succeed.

Dhinakaran thanked leaders such as TN Congress leader S Thirunavukkarasar and VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan for hitting out at the Centre for the timing of the raids.

Pondy raid continues

Puducherry: The Income Tax (I-T) raids at Sri Lakshmi Jewellery here continued for the third day on Saturday. The I-T officials from Chennai launched the raid at the showroom on Thursday.