In a significant development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids at the residence of DMK functionary Pooncholai Srinivasan in Nadumottur, Pallikuppam, located in Vellore district. Simultaneously, searches were carried out at the residence of DMK MP Kathir Anand in Gandhi Nagar, Katpadi.
The raids trace back to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, during which Kathir Anand, son of Tamil Nadu Minister Duraimurugan, contested from the Vellore constituency as the DMK candidate. At that time, Income Tax authorities had conducted searches at Duraimurugan’s residence and seized ₹10 lakh of unaccounted cash.
Further investigations revealed that ₹11 crore was allegedly stashed at the residence of Pooncholai Srinivasan, a close aide of Kathir Anand, to bribe voters. Similar raids were conducted at the houses of DMK member Srinivasan and his relative Damodaran, where large sums of unaccounted cash were unearthed. Following this, the ED registered a case and initiated a probe.
Today (January 3), a team of six ED officials, escorted by heavy security, raided Pooncholai Srinivasan’s residence in Nadumottur, Pallikuppam. Concurrently, searches were conducted at Kathir Anand’s residence in Gandhi Nagar, Katpadi, creating a tense atmosphere in the area.
The investigations are ongoing, and further details are awaited.