Chennai: Raids were held in the residence and properties belonging to DMK treasurer M Durai Murugan and other leaders.
Television reports stated that the Income Tax raids which began last night continued till early morning during which Rs 10 lakh cash was seized from Durai Murugan’s house at Katpadi in Vellore district.
It is said similar searches were held at former Vaaniyambadi DMK district secretary Devarajan’s house for two hours. A report stated that DMK’s southern satrap Anitha Radhakrishnan’s properties too came under scanner.
Sources added that a college and school owned by Durai Murugan’s son Kadhir Anandh in Katpadi Christianpettai were also brought under the I-T blanket.
Reacting to the raid at his house, Durai Murugan said he would not be cowed down by such acts. Speaking to mediapersons at Gandhi Nagar in Katpadi this morning, the DMK leader alleged that the raids were being conducted because his son and Vellore constituency candidate Kadir Anand’s winning prospects were bright.
The I-T officials arrived last night at 10 pm to carry out the raid but Durai Murugan’s lawyers objected to it. Finally, they entered the house around 3 am and the raid continued till 5.30 am. Following this, the college and CBSE school run by Kadir Anand were also being raided, said reports.
Durai Murugan’s argument was that there was no need for a raid just when the elections were on. “They could have carried out the raid last month,” he quipped. He said since they (rivals) were unable to confront the DMK, they were stabbing in the back.
Stating that they would not be cowed down by such acts (poochandi), the DMK treasurer said leaders of the party had seen MISA and other forms of oppression. “If a person is rattled by such things, he is not fit to be even a grassroot-level worker of the party,” said Durai Murugan. A flying squad of the Election Commission was also involved in the I-T raid, said reports.