KARUR: Officials of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on Wednesday carried out simultaneous searches at several locations in Karur, including the residence of former DMK minister and Coimbatore South MLA V Senthil Balaji, as well as two liquor manufacturing units in Pudukkottai and Tiruvarur districts in central Tamil Nadu.
As part of the statewide operation, sources said officials conducted searches at liquor manufacturing units in Pudukkottai, Tiruvarur, and Coimbatore, as well as at a few locations in Chennai connected with TASMAC. The coordinated raids are said to be part of an investigation into alleged irregularities in liquor procurement and distribution. However, the DVAC has not issued an official statement on the nature of the case.
According to sources, the searches began around 7 am at Senthil Balaji's ancestral house in Rameswarapatti, where DVAC officials questioned his parents. Police personnel were deployed at the premises while the search was under way.
Simultaneous searches were also conducted at the residence of his aide, Subramani, in Moorthipalayam; the house of DMK East Union Secretary Bhaskar in Koyampalli; and the apartments of Karthik and Ramesh in Kothai Nagar.
Officials also searched the office of a TASMAC manager in the Karur Industrial Estate. Sources said searches were under way at a total of six locations linked to the former minister and his associates.
Officials of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on Wednesday also conducted a search at KALS Distilleries Pvt. Ltd., a private liquor manufacturing unit at Kallakottai near Gandharvakottai in Pudukkottai district. Sources said the search was part of the ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities linked to TASMAC.
The search, which began around 8 am, continued through the morning, with DVAC officials examining records related to the company's operations. Sources said the team scrutinised production-related documents and purchase registers to verify manufacturing, procurement, and supply details as part of the probe.
While officials did not reveal the specific findings of the search or confirm whether any documents or materials were seized, sources said the inspection forms part of the wider investigation into suspected irregularities involving TASMAC's procurement and liquor supply.
A team of DVAC officials, led by Inspector of Police Chithra, conducted searches at the premises of Golden Vats Private Limited in Karnavur village near Mannargudi in Tiruvarur district.
