I-T raids continue for 5th Day in Karur: Brother of Minister Senthil Balaji summoned for probe

The I-T sleuths also entered the office of a government contractor, Shankar Anand, and conducted searches. As Shankar is apparently absconding, the officials locked and sealed his office.

The officials are conducting searches at the residence of one Shobana in Gandhigram, who is the accountant of the government contractor Shankar Anand.

Sources in the I-T Department said that several documents related to tax evasion were found at her residence, and the searches were still underway there.

Also read: ED gets SC nod to continue to probe Senthil Balaji

Summons for minister’s brother

CISF deployed in front of a house being raided by I-T officials at Karur (Supplied)

Meanwhile, the I-T officials raided a newly-built house on Chennai Bypass Road. It is said to be the property of A Nirmala, wife of Ashok.

However, the minister claimed that Ashok had no connection to the newly-built house.

The land on which the house was built was gifted by Nirmala’s mother and the house was being built by the minister’s friend Shankar Anand.

On Tuesday, the officials also served a summons to Ashok to appear before the I-T Department for an inquiry.

However, Ashok did not appear before the officials till Tuesday evening.

Sources close to him said they had sought time to appear for interrogation.

Sources in the I-T Department told South First that officials from Enforcement Directorate have started to investigate the money laundering case involving the minister’s brother and his various businesses.

Also read: I-T raids on G Square and DMK MLA MK Mohan

Police yet to provide FIR details

Meanwhile, the police have so far arrested 13 people in connection with the assault on I-T officers.

DMK cadres Arun (27) and Bupesh (35) of Karur, who allegedly damaged the vehicle of I-T officials, were also arrested. All 13 were remanded to judicial custody.

An I-T officer told South First that four separate complaints were lodged with the Karur police, and I-T officer Gayathri, who was attacked and suffered a fracture in her hand, also lodged a complaint.

However, the police have not included charges of women’s harassment in the FIR.

Karur Superintendent of Police E Sundaravathanam was not available for comment.

However, another senior police officer from the district said instructions were given to include the appropriate laws based on the complaints lodged by the I-T officials.

South First learnt that three additional sections, including the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Woman Act of 1998, were included in the FIR on Tuesday evening.

But the police were hesitant about disclosing further details on the FIR and the sections under which the DMK men were booked.

Also read: I-T Department raids top Kollywood financier, other producers

Raids from 26 May

On 26 May, nearly 150 I-T sleuths from Chennai, Coimbatore, Tiruchy, Madurai, and Dindigul started raids at more than 30 places at properties connected to minister Senthil Balaji’s brother V Ashok.

As these events unfolded, DMK cadres made a ruckus, not allowing the I-T officials to conduct searches at the residence of Ashok in Krishnapuram.

Officials were also stopped by the DMK cadres from conducting raids at the house of Karur Deputy Mayor Dharani Saravanan, who is a close aide of Senthil Balaji.

Following this, the I-T officials lodged a complaint against the DMK cadres, including the deputy mayor.

Four I-T officials, said to have been injured by the DMK cadres opposing their actions, were admitted to Karur Government Hospital for treatment and later discharged.

Subsequently, 150 Central Reserve Police personnel were sent to Karur for the protection of the I-T officials.